CENTURION (South Africa), March 24: Jimmy Maher’s 95 helped Australia to a 45-run victory over South Africa in the second One-day International Sunday, giving the tourists a 2-0 lead in the series.

Maher, who was replacing the injured Michael Bevan, featured in an 85-run stand for the second wicket with Matthew Hayden and a fourth-wicket partnership of 93 with Damien Martyn as Australia reached 226 for eight.

The tourists then bowled South Africa out for 181 in 46.2 overs.

Lance Klusener was again the man South Africa relied on to give their innings some credibility.

The big-hitting left hander top-scored with 59 runs off 59 balls, including four sixes and three fours.

South Africa captain Shaun Pollock won the toss and put Australia into bat.

The tourists lost their first wicket as early as the second over when Adam Gilchrist was caught at mid-on by Gary Kirsten for seven off Pollock.

But Maher and Hayden consolidated the Australia innings with a methodical partnership off 142 balls.

The stand ended when left-arm spinner Nicky Boje claimed the first of two crucial wickets in the 26th over.

Boje had Hayden caught at mid-wicket by Jonty Rhodes for 38 and dismissed captain Ricky Ponting, caught and bowled, with his next ball to reduce Australia to 99 for three.

Maher continued to steer the Australian innings, combining with Martyn for a fourth-wicket stand that was more brisk, coming off 110 balls.

Martyn was dismissed for 42, caught behind by Mark Boucher off the bowling of medium-pacer Roger Telemachus.

Maher followed a few overs later, caught on the boundary by Jacques Kallis also off Telemachus, his 95 including 10 fours and one six off 150 balls.

Pollock wrapped up the innings with the wickets of Shane Watson, Andy Bichel and Jason Gillespie to finish with figures of four for 32 in his 10 overs.

The South Africans began their innings poorly, their top order crumbling in much the same way as in Friday’s first match in Johannesburg.

On that occasion, South Africa were 56 for four wickets, and here, they slumped to 45 for four after only 12 overs, losing the wickets of Herschelle Gibbs for five, Gary Kirsten for 21, Kallis for 14 and Rhodes for nought.

The South African batting continued to collapse as the run rate soared to more than seven an over, but Klusener gave South Africa some hope.

He was dropped on the boundary by Glenn McGrath when on 23, but played his trademark swashbuckling innings.

Klusener went to his half century off 48 balls, hitting successive sixes in the 41st over off the bowling of Watson, before he was caught at long-off by Hayden off Gillespie, who finished with figures of four for 43.

The third game of the seven-match series is scheduled for Wednesday in Potchefstroom.