Captain Ricky Ponting admits top-order batsmen including himself were too aggressive in their shot selection against Dale Steyn and Wayne Parnell in Sunday's second game, resulting in South Africa bowling Australia out for 131.

Steyn and Parnell took four wickets each, allowing the home side to cruise to a series-levelling, seven-wicket win with 23.4 overs to spare at Centurion.

Left-arm swing bowler Parnell (4-25) was particularly impressive in just his second ODI game and the 19-year-old claimed the man-of-the-match award.

''That's one thing we always talk about is identifying conditions and situations as quickly as possible and being able to adjust and adapt quicker than the opposition,'' Ponting said.

''We didn't curb our games enough to get through some good bowling.

''It wasn't as if it swung around corners either up there.

''It just did what it usually does at the start of a game with a white ball and we were just a bit deficient.

''It's never easy [to attack] if the ball's swinging.

''I think that's probably where we fell short the other day. We probably tried to take it to him [Parnell] a little bit too much early on.

''My shot was probably one that wasn't quite there. He got Pup [opener Michael Clarke] with a good ball, he got Mike Hussey with a good ball.

''So if he's bowling well or if Dale's bowling well and the ball is doing a little bit, then we have to find a way as a batting group to get through whatever they're doing.''

The winner of the five-match series will be handed the ODI top ranking and defending World Cup champion Australia has plenty of self-belief to draw upon, according to Ponting.

''We've played some great attacks before in some conditions that were a lot worse than what we've had at Centurion the other day and we've done well,'' Ponting said.