Emerging paceman Kagiso Rabada took five wickets as South Africa won by 177 runs in Perth to hand Australia a rare defeat in the first home Test of their season on Monday.
Set a huge victory target of 539, Australia were dismissed in their second innings for 361 on the final day as they succumbed to their fourth straight Test defeat.
Australia hadn’t lost the first Test of a home season since 1988, but Rabada stepped up after Dale Steyn’s shoulder injury to help South Africa complete a remarkable victory.
Debutant spinner Keshav Maharaj (1-94) delivered the final blow, trapping number 11 Nathan Lyon lbw for eight, with Peter Nevill unbeaten on 60.
Steven Smith’s Australia lost all three Tests on their tour of Sri Lanka in July and August, and they will now look for a quick recovery at this week’s second Test in Hobart.
Resuming at 169 for four, a draw was Australia’s only hope and it appeared a forlorn task, with man-of-the-match Rabada ensuring that was the case with 5-92.
With star paceman Steyn suffering a shoulder injury that will sideline him for at least six months, Rabada stepped up in fine style to lead the South African attack.
The 21-year-old claimed three wickets on day four and two more on Monday to record his fourth five-wicket haul in just nine Tests, a record for a South African player of his age.
