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Last Updated: Nov 2nd, 2009 - 17:32:57 |
Set a record fourth innings target of 454, South Africa were no chance of claiming an upset victory after a poor morning session, eventually bowled out for 291 just after tea.
The triumph, Australia's fourth in a row at the Wanderers, gives the tourists a 1-0 advantage in the three Test series, with the second match to be played in Durban beginning on Friday.
The Proteas now need to win the next two Test matches to wrench the ICC Test Championship Mace out of Australia's grip.
The victory is Australia's second in a row over the Proteas after the thrilling SCG Test, and comes at time when many thought Ricky Ponting's team had lost its footing at the peak of world cricket.
But despite naming a hugely inexperienced side and being reduced to a disastrous 3 for 38 on the opening morning, the tourists showed they are still a force to be reckoned with.
Ponting said after the match that the three newcomers in Phillip Hughes, Marcus North and Ben Hilfenhaus all contributed to what was an all-round team effort.
"Three debutants playing in this game, and all three of them at different times stood up and did a job for us," he said.
"We've had a long time to think about the home series and the mistakes and errors that we've made and I think we have rectified most of those this week.
"Having won our last two Test matches now against this South African side this team is bouncing back and showing a lot of real good qualities."
South African captain Graeme Smith said his side let the tourists have too many first innings runs and borrowed a similar line to Ponting after Australia's home loses at the WACA and MCG.
"At the end of the day we were just out-performed in the key moments of the game and they had some really good performances," he said.
"We've just got to regroup and we know we are a lot better than the performances that we certainty put out in the last three days."
Dale Steyn was the last batsman to fall in the match, clean bowled by deserved man-of-the-match Mitchell Johnson, who finished with eight wickets for the Test on top of his invaluable 96 in Australia's first innings.
Morning inroads
The day started promisingly for the hosts with a confident looking Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis building on their overnight partnership and taking the score to 2 for 206.
But Australia soon put itself in the commanding position with some disciplined line and length, taking the wickets of Amla (57), AB de Villiers (3) and Jacques Kallis (45) for only 23 runs before lunch.
Hero from Perth, JP Duminy (29), and Mark Boucher (24) dug in following the break until a marvellous spell of bowling by Peter Siddle took Australia to within four wickets of victory.
Siddle set up Duminy with an aggressive and tactical over, eventually drawing an edge which was well held by Ponting at second slip.
The ungainly Morne Morkel and Boucher followed in the middle session, before Paul Harris and Steyn surrendered their wickets after tea.
Siddle bowled with spirit and vigour and was magnificent value for his figures of 3 for 46 to match his three wickets in South Africa's first innings.
Ben Hilfenhaus also vindicated his selection in the first XI with the scalps of Smith and Boucher in the final innings.
Andrew McDonald was a constant threat with his tight stump-to-stump medium pacers but may be the unlucky candidate to lose his spot for the inclusion of spinner Bryce McGain in Durban.
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