Stuart Clark (left) and Mick Lewis celebrate their victory over South Africa in Durban on Friday. (Reuters)

Durban: Australia levelled the five-match ODI series with South Africa at 2-2 after a nerve-shredding one-wicket victory on Friday.

The world champions, chasing 247 in 50 overs to win the day-night match, reached the target with five balls to spare after tailender Stuart Clark compiled a priceless undefeated 16.

Australia looked poised for a much easier victory when Adam Gilchrist (45) and Simon Katich (46) put on 87 for the first wicket, and later when Andrew Symonds was in full flight.

Hitting the ball with ferocious power, Symonds cracked two sixes and nine fours to race to 76 off 71 balls.

Roger Telemachus, who had figures of three for 34, set up the thrilling finish when he bowled Symonds to leave Australia on 218 for seven.

Makhaya Ntini then had Brett Lee caught-behind off the next ball but Clark, Nathan Bracken and Mick Lewis held their nerve to push the visitors over the finish line. Clark and Bracken shared a stand of 23 for the ninth wicket.

Rival captains Graeme Smith and Ricky Ponting traded verbal blows after the game.

“It shows how close the teams really are and it sets up a massive decider at the Wanderers on Sunday,” home skipper Smith told a news conference.

“I thought they (Australia) were the team that were chokers, if that’s the word, at the back end (of matches).”

Ponting reacted strongly. “He said that, did he?” the Australian captain asked reporters after being told of Smith’s opinion. “We won the game, maybe they should look at their own performance.