South Africa won the fifth and final ODI at Cape Town versus England by five wickets, to claim a series win over England after coming from 2-0 down to win the series 3-2. 

England posted a well below par score of 236 in their innings, and most of that was down to the brilliant hundred from opener Alex Hales. South Africa stuttered at the start of their innings when they were reduced to 22-3 after eight overs, but a century from captain Ab De Villers saw his team home in his 200th ODI match for his country.

South Africa won the toss and chose to bowl first

South African captain Ab de Villers won the toss and chose to bowl with the series perfectly poised at 2-2 first on a bowler friendly pitch first up after the amount of rain that there had been at Cape Town overnight.

South Africa made one change for the game, with JP Duminy, who has had a poor series, replaced by batsmen Riley Roussow. England named an unchanged side from the last game despite falling to defeat.

The England batsmen found it tricky first up with the first wicket falling at the end of the fifth over when Imran Tahir had Jason Roy trapped LBW for 8 of 15 balls. Roy was a big wicket for the home side because of how fast the opener could score.

The wicket of Roy brought the man of the moment Joe Root to the crease after scoring two centuries in his last two games. Root looked comfortable when he came in scoring at a brisk rate, and put on a partnership of 61 with Alex Hales before Root was trapped LBW by Tahir for 27 off 25 balls. The South Africans were buzzing with at wicket as they knew how big it could be. 

Morgan struggles again

The England captain Eoin Morgan was next to come to the crease having struggled throughout the whole series, and it didn't take long for him to get himself out. Morgan made two off 10 balls before David Wiese got him out when he edged the ball to the South African wicketkeeper Quintin de Kock. Morgan made just 64 runs from five innings during the series, which is a poor return for the captain.

England had to rebuild after being reduced to 85-3 and they did when Ben Stokes came in to join Hales, and the pair put on a brisk 70 run partnership. Kegiso Rabada then came into the bowling attack for South Africa and straight away changed the game when he bowled Stokes for 29 off 32 balls, and then next ball bowled Jos Buttler for a duck to reduce the visitors to 156-5 after 28 overs.

England lost six wickets for 68 runs

Moen Ali was the next man in and he had plenty of time to build a partnership with Hales, and just as it looked as if they were building a decent one, Ali chipped a shot straight to Farhaan Behardien off the bowling of Kyle Abbott for 12 off 17 balls. Chris Woakes didn't last long either as he was gone for a fifth-ball duck when he hit a short ball down to fine leg off the bowling of Wiese and caught by Abbott.

Hales holds England innings together

Adil Rashid didn't last long either going for just 9 runs of the bowling of Wiese after a very poor shot. Hales though brought up a brilliant hundred in the 40th over with a lovely on drive down the ground. The hundred came up off 117 balls and he was single handedly holding the England innings together. 

Alex Hales raising is bat after scoring a hundred versus South Africa
Alex Hales raising his bat after scoring a hundred versus South Africa| Photo: Getty Images

Hales' fantastic knock finally came to an end for 112 in 44th over when he attacked a short ball from Rabada which went straight to Roussow on the boundary rope. It didn't take long for South Africa to take the final wicket as Stuart Broad going for a big shot off Tahir held out to De Villers for 13. England were bowled out for 236 which meant South Africa needed 237 to win the series.

South Africa lose three early wickets

South Africa began their run chase poorly by losing two quick wickets in the same over from Reece Topley as he got the big wicket of Quintin de Kock for four runs in the sixth over of the innings. Faf du Plessis came in at number three for South Africa and was bowled by an inswinger  from Topley for a first ball duck to see the home side be 14-2 after six overs.

It didn't take long for England to get their third wicket when Roussow was out for just four runs. Topley got his third wicket of the game in the eighth over when Roussow chipped a shot straight to Hales at extra cover to reduce the home side to 22-3. 

De Villers and Amla put on a hundred partnership together

South African captain De Villers came in and steadied the ship for South Africa, and put on a big partnership with Hashim Amla. The partnership got to 125 when Moen Ali came on and got Amla out for 59 off 93 balls. 

Ali spun one past Amla, who came down the pitch to try and drive Ali away for a four, but missed it and was stumped by Buttler behind the stumps. The wicket of Amla left the hosts 147-4 needing another 90 runs with Behardien the next man in.

Behardien didn't last long, only making 13 runs before trying to hit Rashid for a six, but only managed to find Stokes on the boundary. It was a poor shot from the Behardien especially with his captain playing so well at the other end, and it meant to score was 166-5. 

De Villiers scores a brilliant hundred to see his side home 

David Weise came in and produced a fine cameo to take his team home by scoring 41 not out off 32 balls. Wiese produced a 71 run partnership with his captain De Villers who finished with a brilliant 101 not out of 97 balls to see his side win the match and the series.

South Africa chased England's total of down in 44 overs to make the comeback complete, and for England who were 2-0 after two games, have let the series slip through their hands.

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