Rossouw 122 sets Australia 328 to avoid 5-0

Rilee Rossouw hit 14 fours and two sixes in his 118-ball 122

Rilee Rossouw, brought into the squad as cover but used in every game, saved his best for last. His third ODI century helped South Africa entertain prospects of a 5-0 whitewash as they posted 327 for 8 after electing to bat. That Australia have to pull off the highest successful chase at this venue, by some distance - the previous highest is 258 - tells you the enormity of the task that awaits them.

Australia's young attack could come under scrutiny yet again, especially after they went into this fixture without their most experienced bowler in John Hastings. But Joe Mennie didn't do too badly, picking up 3 for 49, two of those being Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis as South Africa were reduced to 52 for 3.

That they posted their third score of over 300 was largely due to a 178-run fourth-wicket stand between Rossouw and JP Duminy. The pair were together for more than half the innings - 27.2 overs - and stabilised South Africa. Had Australia created more chances during that period, they may have been able to capitalise on the early inroads.

Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla, who began in imperious fashion, were dismissed within four balls of each other. De Kock pushed at a Scott Boland with hard hands and chipped a catch to short cover before Mennie had Amla playing for a delivery that straightened to hit off stump. Two overs later, Mennie tempted Faf du Plessis into driving, but got the ball move back in and beat the inside edge onto the stumps.

Rossouw had only faced nine balls when the top three were dismissed. What should have been a tense exchange immediately dissipated through a misfield. Rossouw drove a wide ball from Boland to Travis Head, who let one through for four at mid-off. Two more drives followed in the next Mennie over before Mitchell Marsh was brought on. But he could hardly stop the run-flow, conceding 17 off his first over, loaded with full tosses. Marsh came in for more punishment when Rossouw struck the first six of his innings over long-on as South Africa brought up their 100 inside 18 overs. Rossouw soon brought up his fifty off as many balls.

Steven Smith turned to Adam Zampa, his trump card, in a bid to slow things down. This after briefly going with Head's part-time offspin. Bu that hardly helped as Rossouw and Duminy comfortably maintained a run-rate of over six without playing the big shots. Duminy's fifty came off 47 balls and with 20 overs to go, South Africa were headed for 350.

Duminy fell on 99 when he carved a catch to point with Rossouw on 99; his eagerness to give strike to his partner may have contributed to his downfall. David Miller was at the non-striker's end when the landmark eventually came up off 100 deliveries.

Rossouw opened up after the milestone to take the pressure of Miller upfront but holed out with five overs to go. A Chris Tremain slower ball had him slogging across the line to long-on. South Africa's tail wagged to plunder 46 runs off the last five overs and even Australia took three wickets in that period, they were unable to bowl South Africa out for a fifth time in the series.