It could also be applied to the Australian cricket team, which continued its strong form with another victory over South Africa - though this time it got too close to comfort - winning by two wickets with just five balls left. Again, it was left to the ice cool James Faulkner to hit the winning runs.

The four-time champions will finish November the World Cup favourites, the No.1 ranked outfit and on the basis of the past fortnight they will take some beating. The challenge is holding that form for another four months. It is an enviable position to be in.

Despite missing captain Michael Clarke and their best fast bowler Mitchell Johnson, Australia are  playing with supreme confidence with both bat and ball though had some shaky moments late on Sunday night when they lost 4-3 in 13 balls.

The hosts were again better for longer than a South African side which will head back across the Indian Ocean with renewed doubts about their mettle at key moments.

Their game was littered with costly fielding errors and no-balls - none more expensive than that of Kyle Abbott's in the 34th over. It cost the Proteas the vital scalp of Steve Smith on 20.

The 4-1 series scoreline may not be an accurate portrayal of how even this series has been but a true indication of how Australia played well when it mattered most.

The in-form batsman was given another life after South Africa chose not to appeal a caught behind opportunity when he was on 32. He finished with 67 - the fifth time in his past seven innings he has passed 50. Not bad for a player who needed an injury to Clarke to get an opportunity.

Australia will have better days with the ball but thanks to key strikes from Pat Cummins in the middle overs and some handy overs of spin from Glenn Maxwell and Steve Smith limited South Africa to 280. Quinton de Kock top-scored with 107.

An imposing run chase became that little bit more difficult when rain resulted in Australia being docked two overs with only six runs taken from their mission. That did not prove the case thanks to another impressive innings from Aaron Finch and a welcome return to form by Shane Watson.

Finch's 76 off 67 balls ensured the asking rate hovered no higher than a run a ball before Watson, with his best knock of the summer, and Smith saw them within reach of the finish line to allow a stumble.

It was a timely knock for Watson and not just because the first Test is less than a fortnight away.

The seasoned campaigner had averaged just 13.8 in his six previous ODI innings and with the emergence of Smith in this format, not to mention James Faulkner's rise as an all-round option, the selection squeeze was on.

After failing to convert a string of starts this series, Watson drove with authority and hooked with power on his way to 82 off 93 balls. So well was he striking the ball, his demise was unexpected when it came, holing out in the 37th over within sight of a 10th century.

Again it was left to Smith to take the game away from the Proteas. He chose his bowlers wisely, targeting the inexperienced Abbott and the inconsistent Wayne Parnell.

It was a shame he was not there for the winning runs though the result was no longer in doubt by the time he was out.

Glenn Maxwell could have done worse than to follow the Smith's calm lead but despite the run rate required well below five the man they call The Big Show lost his head, and his wicket, trying to slog Morne Morkel.

His sloppy dismissal took the gloss off his useful contribution with the ball. He picked up the important wicket of Hashim Amla for 18 and returned the useful figures of 1-30 from eight overs.

Cummins was the star with the ball for Australia, taking the momentum out of the Proteas' innings by removing Rilee Rossouw and Faf du Plessis in the space of five balls and de Kock.