I've done far less work with one-day figures than with Test numbers, largely out of some prejudice, but I looked at the batting in the recent ODI series between South Africa and New Zealand and found a couple of things to say.

Pop quiz - who do you think had the highest Innings Average (number of runs divided by number of innings)? Score yourself a point if you said New Zealand. The Black Caps averaged 27.13, against the Proteas 23.96. And herein lies, I think, the key to South Africa's success. Let me give you a table:

						Balls Faced	Scoring Rate
				GC Smith	145		 65.5
				MV Boucher	143		 76.2
				AB de Villiers	128		 75.8
				JH Kallis	124		 46
				HH Gibbs	103		115.5
				Top 5 		643		 74.2

				JM How		263		 68.8
				SB Styris	160		 77.5
				BB McCullum	157		 51.6
				MS Sinclair	101		105
				L Vincent	 50		 66
				Top 5		731		 71.8

As you can see, South Africa's top 5 batsmen faced fewer deliveries yet scored at a faster rate. How did sterling work at defending his wicket, but couldn't score fast enough to make the kind of contribution that Gibbs, who only played two matches but stayed in longest of all South African batsmen, did. Whereas in Test cricket I value defence most highly in a batsmen, the One-day game requires a far more balanced contribution by those wielding the willow. Whether the New Zealanders' slower scoring was down to the South African bowling or their own temperament and abilities, is not something I could say. But that's what I'd look at if I was trying to learn a lesson for next time.