Brett Lee and Brad Hogg have triggered an amazing South African batting collapse to help Australia to a 59-run victory in the VB Series clash at Telstra Dome on Friday.
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Lee claimed a career-best 5-22 and Hogg 3-32 as the Proteas lost 5-10 after at one stage being 3-114 on their way to being dismissed for 186 in the 47th over.
The speedster grabbed the wickets of Graeme Smith and Andrew Hall with the new ball, reducing the Proteas to 2-16, before Boeta Dippenaar (41 off 94 balls) and Herschelle Gibbs (39 off 53) built a patient 68-run stand to steady the tourists.
But their partnership was ended by Hogg, who had Gibbs trapped plum in front in the 25th over.
Dippenaar's patient innings ended on 41 when he became Lee's third victim of the night, triggering a catastrophic collapse.
Lee finished Ashwell Prince's lively knock of 21 (off 27 balls) and rattled Justin Kemp's stumps after beating him with sheer pace before the wily Hogg removed the dangerous Mark Boucher and Johan van der Wath as South Africa slumped to 8-123 in the 37th over.
Shaun Pollock then blitzed four sixes on his way to 46 (off 31 balls) but Lee and Hogg had already obliterated South Africa's hopes of victory.
Earlier, an 87-run partnership off just 94 balls between Phil Jaques, who fell just six short of a century on debut, and Michael Clarke (34)guided Australia to 3-172 in the 31st over before the hosts lost 7-73 to be dismissed for 245.
Other than Jaques and Clarke, only James Hopes offered any real resistance, crafting a handy 38 off 47 balls in his first international innings before being last man out to Andrew Hall (4-35).
Damien Martyn and Ricky Ponting didn't last long, both out inside the first 10 overs before Jaques punished Dale Steyn in an eventful 15th over, helping himself to 17 runs with four boundaries.
But Steyn grabbed the prized scalp of Andrew Symonds to save face and was later subbed out of the game, allowing van der Wath (2-21) to make his one-day international debut.
Clarke and Jaques then batted the hosts into a strong position before the Proteas wrecked Australia's innings.
Both players fell to the combination of van der Wath and Boucher, before Pollock (2-31) bowled wicketkeeper Brad Haddin for one.
Michael Hussey and Lee, Australia's batting heroes at the Gabba last Sunday, and Dorey were all out cheaply but a patient Hopes ensured Australia would at least post a competitive total.
