Malan maiden ton, Ngidi six-for clinch South Africa's first series win of Boucher era

South Africa 274 for 4 (Malan 129*, Klaasen 51) beat Australia 271 (Finch 69, Short 69, Ngidi 6-58) by six wickets

South Africa secured their first series win in 12 months and the first since Mark Boucher's appointment as coach by completing the highest successful chase in Bloemfontein against Australia. On a slow surface, run scoring had not been free-flowing, and South Africa's initial required rate of 5.44 an over had swelled to 7.60 by the 40th over. But with a well-set opener in Janneman Malan and a fiery finisher in David Miller, South Africa held the nerve to earn their new white-ball captain Quinton de Kock his first cup though it had not been his show.

True to their word from four days ago, the rookies in the South African line-up put their hands up and ensured that de Kock's duck didn't extend their trophy drought. Malan, who became the first batsmen to be dismissed off the very first ball of their debut match last Saturday, scored his first international hundred two days after being overlooked of the ODI squad to tour India in a few days. With Temba Bavuma eliminated of the remainder of this series as he manages his hamstring injury, Malan has made the strongest case possible for his position to be reconsidered.

But Malan did not battle alone. He shared in three crucial stands - 91 runs with Jon-Jon Smuts, 81 with Heinrich Klaasen and an unbeaten 90 with Miller - which saw South Africa home. Earlier, Lungi Ngidi's career-best 6 for 58, which was shared between your top and tail of the Australia innings, in combo with stellar death bowling kept the people to 271. South Africa's attack were collectively impressive, with no-one going for more than six runs an over, and particularly good within the last 10 overs, where they took 6 for 49.

Australia could have been disappointed they didn't add more - especially after half-centuries from Aaron Finch near the top of the order and D'Arcy Short in the centre - but even more frustrated with their inability to guard an excellent total, especially after eliminating de Kock early. He was bowled by the 3rd ball of the innings, being dismissed by Mitchell Starc for the 3rd time in five white-ball matches across this series when he played for swing but was beaten by the left-arm angle.

Malan and Smuts then knuckled down but only after Smuts was reprieved: he was on 17 when Cummins overstepped and the stand was worth 32. It grew to 91. The sign of their partnership was patience as they saw off eight boundary-less overs before Malan pulled Marnus Labuschagne for six. Smuts was the more eager of the pair get started nonetheless it cost him, as he went after an Adam Zampa delivery and was caught at long-on. Kyle Verreynne didn't follow on from his promising debut and was dismissed three overs later when he swung at Cummins and sent him straight to midwicket. By then, Malan had reached fifty, off 68 balls.

Klaasen brought the same degree of calm he displayed in his debut hundred and partnered Malan for a crucial 65-run stand. He was the more expressive hitter and transpired on one knee to send Ashton Agar, picked before Josh Hazlewood, over long-on for six and swept him for two fours.

But he also had some luck. He hit the ball into no-man's land several times, Cummins' cutter could have had him caught and bowled but the chance crept through his fingertips, and he was presented with out caught behind off the helmet, on 44, but survived on review. Within the next over, Malan top-edged Marsh however the ball fell between four converging fielders.

Just since it seemed fortune favoured South Africa, Klaasen top-edged an attempted slog-sweep and Finch took the catch at square leg. Malan battled on, edging Zampa on 83 and being dropped by Alex Carey and then flogging the legspinner over long-off, accepting Miller's calls on whether to perform or not, even though he could have been go out on successive deliveries. His hundred came with a calculated steer through third man, off the 124th ball he faced and the three fours and three sixes told the story of how tough it had been.

Malan opened up after that. He could have observed him strangled down leg, but his flick off Cummins went fine, he thrashed Zampa through the covers and hit Starc through the covers and over backward square to bring the equation right down to 16 off the last three overs. South Africa got there with nine balls to spare, with Miller hitting the winning runs to finish on 37 not out and leave Australia wondering where they could have scored more.

Earlier, after Finch had chosen to bat first, Australia started strongly, putting on fifty within seven overs before their momentum was halted when Warner tried going to an Ngidi ball over the inner ring and gifted Malan a catch at cover. Four overs later, Steve Smith showed similar generosity when he sent Ngidi right to Smuts at midwicket. The most magnanimous chance came a ball later, as Marnus Labuschagne flashed at the first ball he faced and Malan, at point, accepted it gleefully. That wicket was Ngidi's 50th in ODIs, a milestone achieved in just 26 matches, and in addition put him on a hat-trick. He missed out but Australia were still in big trouble at 83 for 3.

South Africa could have sunk them deeper however they let chances go. Finch was dropped on 35 when he edged Shamsi to leg slip but Smuts put him down. An easier opportunity came when Short, on 11, offered Andile Phehlulwayo the easiest of return catches however the ball burst through the allrounder's hands. Short was let off again when he was on 19 and smacked the ball to David Miller at midwicket, who could only parry it away.

Finch and Short continued to post the best partnership of Australia's innings, 77, and grew in fluency, especially against Shamsi. Finch hit him for just two sixes and a four and raised his fifty off him, off 70 balls. But just as they had settled, Anrich Nortje returned from a pricey first spell (0-31 in four overs) to split up them. He followed up a 92mph/147kph back-of-a-length ball to Short with a fuller length delivery that Finch edged to de Kock.

Short was joined by Mitchell Marsh and the pair placed on 66 for the fifth wicket, with Short's fifty coming off 65 balls. By enough time the last 10 overs began, Australia were in an excellent position to launch a final assault but South Africa's attack had other plans. Shamsi had Short caught at point and Phehluwayo got a wicket when he nailed a leg-stump yorker to bowl Marsh.

But it was Ngidi who took the honours at the death. He finished as he began, with a triple strike in his final spell when Agar holed out to long-on, Carey tried to flick him over his shoulder and was caught by de Kock and Cummins was deceived by a slower ball and was caught at mid-on.