South Africa knock Aussie over

South Africa have beaten Australia by 177 runs in a memorable and crushing test victory in Perth.

Australia’s Nathan Lyon was the last to go with the score at 361, the fifth lbw on a day where the decision review system came under fire.

A resolute ninth-wicket partnership made South Africa sweat but when Josh Hazlewood was dismissed for 29 off a leading edge from the slow-mediums of Temba Bavuma at 345-9, the final wicket pair had a mountainous 32 overs to bat to save the test.

Keeper Peter Nevill led the fight with a resilient half century after lunch and remained unbeaten at the close on 60.

Peter Siddle was the fourth batsman of the day to go lbw when he was trapped plumb by Vernon Philander for 13 shortly after play restarted before the ninth wicket partnership began to dig in.

The Aussies were 263-7 at lunch on the last day having resumed at 169-4 yesterday morning, set an historicallyimpossible victory target of 539 by Faf du Plessis on Sunday.

South Africa, who are already a bowler down following Dale Steyn’s series-ending shoulder injury, were sweating on the fitness of paceman Kagiso Rabada who came off the field after delivering his six-over spell in the morning and was spotted in the changerooms with ice on his bowling arm. But Rabada was not held back, returning to the field and continuing to wreak havoc.

Rabada took his fifth wicket of the innings just before lunch, trapping Mitchell Starc lbw for 13 with a searing yorker.

Usman Khawaja who appeared Australia’s best hope at batting out the day was trapped lbw for 97 by JP Duminy half an hour before lunch.

The end of Khawaja’s 182-ball resistance, which included a life when dismissed by Temba Bavuma on a no-ball, left it all to do for the Aussies.

Earlier Mitch Marsh, who is under immense pressure to retain his spot in the XI, battled for almost half an hour before becoming Rabada’s fourth victim.

The allrounder survived a confident lbw shout from Rabada, only for the Proteas to successfully review the verdict.

Commentators Michael Clarke, Mark Taylor and Chris Rogers all felt balltracking replays may have incorrectly judged how much the ball was swinging.

Khawaja spoke with on-field umpires Nigel Llong and Aleem Dar at length following Marsh’s dismissal on 26.