Australia returned to the top of the ICC’s one-day international rankings with a nervy two-wicket Duckworth/Lewis win over South Africa in Sydney.
The hosts fell over the line, following a late clatter of wickets, before James Faulkner swept away the winning boundary with five balls to spare.
Quinton de Kock’s sixth ODI century was therefore not enough to prevent Australia from confirming a 4-1 series success that lifted them above India and to the top of the standings.
Australia had been well on course to chase down the Proteas’ 280 or six after brisk half-centuries from Aaron Finch, Shane Watson and man-of-the-series Steven Smith.
When Smith departed, caught in the deep off Robin Peterson, Australia needed just 11 with five wickets in hand, but a stunning collapse followed.
Australia lost four for three and, as panic suddenly set in, they threatened to throw the game away to the gentle spin of Robin Peterson.
The slow left-armer returned 4-32, including a double-wicket maiden in the 46th over, to leave Australia wobbling.
The tension heightened when new man Mitchell Starc then almost ran himself out only for the Kyle Abbott delivery to be a no-ball to allow a free hit.
While Faulkner was only able to take a single from it, he was crucially on strike to begin the final over and immediately swept Peterson away to the rope to belatedly clinch the win.
It was rich entertainment to end a dead-rubber contest that had initially been lit up by South Africa opener de Kock’s 107 from 123 balls.
It was an important contribution in the absence of injured skipper AB de Villiers and a quickfire 63 from 41 balls from Farhaan Behardien late on ensured a testing total.
A brief rain delay reduced Australia’s chase to 48 overs, but the hosts were quickly in front of the rate as Finch raced to his half-century from 39 balls.
Watson was slightly was more controlled, hitting 82 from 93 balls, and with Smith also getting to fifty the chase looked in hand until the manic 20-minute end.