South Africa turned the tables on Australia in Harare with the second-biggest ODI run-chase in their history, but refused to call it revenge for their bitter Test loss earlier this year.

AB de Villiers (136 not out) and Faf du Plessis (106) both scored brilliant hundreds to reel in the victory target of 328 and secure a comfortable seven-wicket win with 20 balls to spare in the second match of the one-day tri-series.

The day before, de Villiers indicated his team had little time for Australia off the field, accusing Michael Clarke’s side of getting personal with on-field taunts in the Test series back in February.

But despite his classy knock, du Plessis said he wouldn’t be sniping back at the Australians and skipper de Villiers confirmed the focus for his side was on building towards ending their World Cup drought down under next year.

“There’s no doubt we’ve got what it takes,” de Villiers said after his match-winning 206-run stand with du Plessis.

“We’ve got the World Cup in the back of our minds and we’re heading in the right direction.”

Du Plessis, who has now scored his maiden ODI and Test tons against Australia, says the feeling was sweet after recent hostilities between the two top nations.

But after copping a backlash from the Australians for describing them as a “pack of dogs” during the Test series, du Plessis deliberately avoided adding further ammunition with so much limited overs cricket to be played against the fierce rivals this year.

“I’ve learnt my lesson not to say too much. Next day I’ll be getting abused again,” he said.

“No revenge.”

Du Plessis did say the Australians were noticeably quieter as he and de Villiers came together at 2-52 and turned the game on its head.

“Australia was the better team (in the Tests) so therefore they had more to say and more more vocal because they had the upper hand most of the time. But one-day cricket it’s pretty hard to have vocals when you have a partnership like we had today,” du Plessis added.

Australia were left to rue a lost toss, two dropped catches – both sitters – and not picking spinner Nathan Lyon, with Aaron Finch’s fourth ODI hundred recorded in vein.

Although it wasn’t quite in the same league as when South Africa chased down a world record 437 to beat the Australians in Johannesburg back in 2006, it was the biggest chase ever at Harare Sports Ground.

“I certainly think it could have been enough, but knowing it’s a pretty good wicket … it’s always going to be a challenge,” said Australian captain George Bailey.

“You’ve got to keep trying to find a way to take wickets and unfortunately we couldn’t do that.”

The Australian seamers became fodder for de Villiers and du Plessis, and part-time spinners Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell were ineffective in slow conditions – where as South African tweaker Imran Tahir took two crucial Australian wickets.

Phil Hughes (51) made an impressive return at the top of the order for Australia, and Bailey was on the end of a howler when he was wrongly given out lbw for 66.

• South Africa 3/ 328 (46.4)
• Australia 7/ 327 (50.0)

Fall of wicket

Bowling

Fall of wicket

Bowling