Internet Desk: Hosts Australia is on the brink of losing a first test match of a series in 28 years. The last time the Aussies lost a first test match of a series was against West Indies in 1988. Australia at stumps on Day 4 is on 169/4, still needing 370 runs to win the first test in Perth. Dean Elgar (127) and JP Duminy (141) scored centuries to take the score to 540/8 before Faf de Plesis declared the second innings. Requiring an unlikely 539 from 143 overs, Australia are 4 for 169 with Usman Khawaja (58) and Mitch Marsh (15) at the crease.
With Dale Steyn out of the series with a shoulder injury, it needed a brilliant bowling performance from Kagiso Rabada to put the Proteas in this position. The 23 year old fast bowler responded well to the task as he dismissed Oz captain Steven Smith (34) and Adam Voges (1) to set the platform for a huge win for his side.
The most interesting moment of the match came when Temba Bavuma’s brilliance on the field caught David Warner short of his crease.The visitors were struggling to get a breakthrough as David Warner came all guns blazing. The Aussie opener raced to 35 runs from 33 balls. Having just hit his sixth four, Warner was cantering down the wicket for a single when the diminutive Bavuma acrobatically swept up the ball and, while still airborne, flicked it at the base of the middle stump.
Marsh departed four balls later for 15, catching an edge to a Rabada delivery, but after Khawaja’s reprieve off the first ball of the next over, Australia made it to tea without any further damage.
Smith looked set on 34 until Rabada finally got his length right and found a bit of outswing in a beautiful delivery that caught a fine edge off the bat and carried to Quinton de Kock behind the stumps.
Another superb Rabada delivery in his next over had Voges flummoxed and he departed for one run in similar fashion.
Australia captain Smith had earlier bowled Philander for 73 to bring an end to three hours of frustration for the hosts as South Africa added another 150 runs to their overnight tally of 390-6.
De Kock made 64 before he was caught at short leg but Philander and debutant spinner Keshav Maharaj (41 not out) continued to plunder runs off the exhausted Australian bowlers.
The highest successful fourth-innings run chase in test cricket was the 418-7 West Indies scored to beat Australia at Antigua in May 2003, while South Africa scored 414-4 to beat their hosts at the WACA in 2008.
The Proteas will therefore be confident of taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, which continues in Hobart before concluding with a day-night test in Adelaide.