Rhodes hit 56 to take the man-of-the-match award Sunday as South Africa was beaten by four wickets in the rain-interrupted second and last one-day match at Old Trafford.
The result gave England a 2-0 success after their six-wicket win in the first game at Edgbaston last Thursday.
England's limited overs triumph sealed an encouraging finish to the season in which they fought back to square the three-test series with South Africa 1-1, having beaten New Zealand 1-0 in three earlier tests.
Atherton said: "The real find for the England team this year has been Rhodes. Wicketkeepers are notoriously undervalued, and it's nice occasionally to give them some recognition."
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