South Africa needed just 26 overs and two balls to beat Australia by seven wickets in the second MTN one-day international (ODI) at Supersport Park, to level the series at one-all, after skittling the visitors out for 131 in the 41st over of their innings in front of a capacity crowd.

It was sweet revenge for the Proteas, who were made to look very ordinary in the first ODI at Kingsmead in Durban on Friday night when Australia beat them by 141 runs ? 10 more than they were able to muster on Sunday.

South Africa hit the ground running and had Australia reeling on 19 for five in the eighth over, thanks to some superb bowling by Dale Steyn and Wayne Parnell, who was playing in his second ODI.

Steyn struck in his first over, when he sent Brad Haddin's leg stump cartwheeling through the air to start a batting collapse of epic proportions.

Ricky Ponting signalled his intent with a massive six off the first ball he faced, but managed just two more runs before Mark Boucher dived to his right to take an excellent catch off Parnell to send Ponting back for eight.

Parnell snaffled his second wicket with the first ball of his next over, when he got Michael Clarke leg before wicket for five. It was Steyn's turn next, with Boucher taking a standard catch off a nick by David Hussey.

Parnell sent Hussey's older brother Michael back two balls later with another very good leg before wicket decision. At the end of that over, Parnell's figures read 4-3-3-3.

James Hopes lasted just short of half an hour before getting a thick edge to a Kallis delivery. He was caught at first slip by Johan Botha for eight.

Callum Ferguson and Mitchell Johnson went some way to restoring normality to the Australian innings with a partnership of 60, which ended when Johnson was given out lbw to Botha for 30.

Steyn and Parnell were brought back into the attack after the mandatory change of ball in the 35th over, and needed little time to wrap up the Australian innings.

Ferguson barely had time to celebrate his second ODI 50 before AB de Villiers took a brilliant diving catch to dismiss him for 50, and give Steyn his third wicket. Parnell claimed his fourth wicket of the match when Nathan Bracken mis-timed his shot and Herschelle Gibbs took an easy catch at cover.

Steyn ended the innings when Nathan Hauritz edged the ball to Boucher who made no mistake, and the Australians were all out for 131 ? 10 less than their winning margin in the first ODI, with nine overs and four balls left to be bowled.

Australia then suffered the ignominy of having to bowl seven overs before lunch. They were given something to cheer about when Gibbs drove Johnson straight to Hauritz at cover for two.

But Smith and Kallis took South Africa close to the victory target with a 69 run partnership at a run a ball, with their partnership ending when Smith chipped a simple catch off Ben Laughlin to Clarke at mid-on for 40.

Kallis went a short while later, caught behind by Haddin off Johnson for 31.

But South Africa were not to be denied an emphatic victory, and AB de Villiers (36 not out) and JP Duminy (11 not out) took the Proteas safely home.

The teams are now level on one win each, and travel to Cape Town for the third match on Thursday afternoon.