Australian cricket

Finch drives Australia to victory over South Africa

Australia's Aaron Finch hit his fifth one-day international century to drive the hosts to a 73-run victory over South Africa in Canberra on Wednesday and a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

Finch put on 118 for the first wicket with David Warner (53) and went on to score 109 on a good Manuka Oval wicket before being bowled by Proteas skipper AB de Villiers.

Shane Watson hit a bright 40 but it fell to Steve Smith to haul Australia out of a mid-innings slump with a sparkling unbeaten 73 from 55 balls that gave Australia an imposing total of 329 for five.

South Africa are rarely daunted by any target and openers Hashim Amla (102) and Quinton de Kock (47) started at a brisk pace at the ground where they will play Ireland in a group match at the World Cup next year.

Their opening stand ended with 108 on the board when De Kock got a top edge to a Josh Hazlewood delivery that was caught by Mitch Marsh but Amla dug in as a couple of wickets fell at the other end to reach his 17th one-day century.

By now he had been joined by De Villiers and their partnership looked like it might give the tourists a series lead going into the final two matches, in Melbourne on Friday and Sydney on Sunday.

The match turned, however, when they were dismissed in successive overs, Amla clean-bowled by Hazlewood (3-51) and De Villiers trapped leg before by Kane Richardson for 52.

Australian left-arm paceman Mitch Starc took four for 32 in mopping up the South African tail, which was shortened with the tourists on 256-9 when spinner Imran Tahir failed to bat after picking up a knock in the field.

Former captains back Clarke

Former Australia captains Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh and Allan Border threw their support behind embattled skipper Michael Clarke Thursday, saying it was ridiculous to be questioning his credentials.

Clarke arrived in Sydney on Wednesday after the team's thumping 2-0 Test loss to Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates to a barrage of questions over whether he remained the best man to head the side.

Ponting said Clarke, despite battling a form slump, remained his pick as captain.

"I think that was quite ridiculous, to tell you the truth," he said of the grilling Clarke received, as the three former captains gathered to mark 100 days before the start of the 2015 World Cup, to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

"The team's done some amazing things in the last couple of years and got themselves back up to number one in two forms of the game at least, had some amazing series whitewashes and things.

"We know that out of the last couple of weeks the guys didn't handle the conditions that well over there (in the UAE) but... it's two Test matches, a bit of a blip on what's otherwise been a pretty good copybook for the last couple of years.

"So hopefully they can learn from their mistakes over the last couple of weeks, move on and be a better team in Asia for coming tournaments."

Clarke has averaged just 27.46 in his last 16 innings and managed just 2, 3, 47 and 5 in his four innings during Australia's series loss to Pakistan.

On Wednesday he defended his record and said he was not worried about losing the captaincy.

Waugh said he had no doubts that Clarke would emerge from his slump and said calling his leadership into question was unfair.

"I can't understand that. I mean, every player goes through a time where they're not scoring runs," he told reporters.

"But he's had an incredible run -- 5-0 against England last year, beating South Africa away (this year) was an amazing result for Australia.

"So you've got to put it into context. It was two Test matches, we didn't play well.

"Let's judge the side after maybe another six, 12 months and see how they're going. But I think he's done a fantastic job."

Border was also surprised by the criticism levelled at Clarke.

"They've got short memories," he said. "A couple of weeks of poor cricket doesn't change the quality. I think he's definitely the right bloke."

Clarke admitted this week that his team had not learnt their lesson against spin after a 4-0 rout in India early last year and their mauling at the hands of Pakistan, but said his focus was now on the bumper Australian summer.

It kicks off for him with a five-match one-day series against South Africa starting on Friday week.