Australia has been stunned by South Africa for a second time in as many weeks, with five dropped catches and a disastrous batting collapse costing the hosts during a rain-affected women's ODI loss.

Four days after an elbow injury forced her to retire hurt in the series opener, Marizanne Kapp starred with bat and ball to help the Proteas to their first ODI defeat of Australia.

Wednesday's 84-run loss at North Sydney Oval, where Australia had not lost an ODI since 2009, sends the three-match series to a decider at the same venue this Saturday.

Playing with hamstring tightness that forced her out of the field, Ash Gardner (35) partnered with Kim Garth (42 not out) on a rescue mission that gave the hosts hope, after they fell to 8-71 chasing a DLS-adjusted 234 for victory.

But not even the all-rounders' 77-run partnership — the highest ninth-wicket partnership in women's ODI history — could pull Australia back from their disastrous start with the bat as it was bundled out for 149.

When Megan Schutt (1) was trapped LBW in the 30th over of the match condensed to 45 overs apiece by rain, the Proteas were home.

Dropped twice, Kapp (75) made the Australians pay for their sloppy fielding on her way to a second half-century from two starts this ODI series.

Kapp hoisted the home side to 6-229 at the end of 45 overs with the Proteas, who won the second of three T20Is last month, managing just 105 from 50 overs in the first ODI.

In the fifth over of Australia's chase, Kapp (3-12) set a staggering batting collapse in motion by dispatching of captain Alyssa Healy (4) and Beth Mooney (0) in the space of three deliveries.

Swinging the ball with ease, Kapp breezed through middle stump to dismiss the talismanic Mooney, before she trapped Phoebe Litchfield (14) LBW as the young gun attempted a block.

The ICC's top-ranked ODI side found themselves in strife at 3-34.

Kapp's teammates soon joined in on the carnage with debutant quick Ayanda Hlubi (2-41) dismissing Ellyse Perry (2) caught behind as the veteran attempted to bat through a stomach bug.

Hlubi had a second ODI wicket when Georgia Wareham chopped on and became the second of three Australians to go without scoring.

Nadine de Klerk took 2-1 from her first over, first dispatching of Tahlia McGrath (22) — the only batter who had made a start at that point — caught behind.

When Alana King chipped de Klerk to point, Australia was 8-71 and appeared in danger of undercutting its lowest total in an ODI — 77 — made in 1993 and 2004.

Gardner and Garth helped the hosts save face and was ably assisted by the Proteas' decision to rotate the dangerous Kapp out of the attack.

But the Proteas closed in on a famous win when Gardner clipped Eliz-Mari Marx (2-22) to wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta.

Earlier, King dropped Kapp on 37 off her own bowling before Healy fumbled the veteran all-rounder aground on 45 after Kim Garth's ball was edged right to her.

The pair of drops came after Perry missed Anneke Bosch on 1 in the deep, with the South African number three going on to revitalise the Proteas from 1-0 after three balls to add 43 to her score.

Wareham then dropped Sune Luus (19) to add to the Australians' frustrations in slippery conditions.

Apparently immune to the catching woes, Annabel Sutherland caught both Bosch and Luus at long on from Gardner's bowling (2-31) before they could build too much on their starts.

King came up with a second drop at short fine leg in the penultimate over, spilling Chloe Tryon (37 not out), who went on to add three more boundaries and bolster South Africa's score.

AAP