Vice-captain Adam Gilchrist has praised Steve and Mark Waugh for their roles in Australia's emphatic series victory in South Africa even though the twins will never again play one-day international cricket.

Gilchrist said Australia's 4-0 drubbing of the Proteas, with two matches still to play, highlighted the legacy the Waughs left when they were dumped by selectors before the series.

New captain Ricky Ponting, maintaining Steve Waugh's aggressive style, has already stamped his mark on the leadership after steering Australia to an eight-wicket victory in Durban last night following Gilchrist's brisk 105.

"It's terrific to have the new guys coming in with that energy but a lot of credit has to go to Stephen and Mark for leaving behind a very, very well-trained and well-drilled unit that has been able to continue," Gilchrist said.

"We knew a lot of success with those guys around and fortunately it's continued on.

"The leadership group has now taken over fairly comfortably. Punter (Ponting) was in a position where it could have been a hiding to nothing.

"I thought his appointment was terrific and I think he's done a terrific job as captain, supported by the senior guys."

Ponting, Gilchrist and Darren Lehmann, who missed yesterday's match with a hamstring niggle, have been the leaders of an energetic Australian team which has simply been too good for South Africa.

Gilchrist led the charge towards South Africa's highest total of the series - 6-267 from 50 overs - with his seventh one-day international century during a record opening partnership of 170 with Matthew Hayden.

Gilchrist thrashed 105 from 104 balls as Australia surged to 2-271 with 13 balls to spare, sealing an outstanding start to Ponting's captaincy career.

Ponting only learned of his appointment two days into the Test tour and he admitted being conscious of maintaining the winning reputation from the Waugh era.

"That was always going to be the hardest thing - to keep going what Steve had going for the last five or six years," Ponting said.

"We've been able to do that so far. We started off a bit slowly, which we pretty much expected to do, but we're still winning and, as the games have gone on, we've improved.

"I haven't had much of a chance to think about it yet but it's sensational. The way we've approached every game has been great."

Ponting made an unbeaten 44 and Damien Martyn was 47 not out in a 91-run partnership which took the noise from a capacity crowd at Kingsmead.

National selectors have been proven right by adding a fresh touch to the Australian squad before the World Cup defence, especially with Shane Warne and Michael Bevan playing only one match each in South Africa because of injury.

Gilchrist said the younger Australians faced criticism if they had been beaten.

"There was always a chance if we didn't fire and we lost the series that there would be big question marks - did Stephen and Mark get pushed out too early?," Gilchrist said.

"Who knows?"

The series continues in Port Elizabeth on Saturday before the final match of the tour in Cape Town on Tuesday.

© 2002 AAP