Adam Voges passed fit for second Test

Australia slipped to a fourth successive Test defeat as South Africa won the opening Test of their three-match series by 177 runs in Perth.

Fast bowler Siddle has been ruled out of the second Test against South Africa in Hobart with a lower back injury.

A misfiring Australia head into today’s second Test against South Africa in Hobart under pressure to save the series and avert a full-blown crisis which would nearly certainly be triggered by a fifth consecutive Test defeat.

Joe Burns and Callum Ferguson are battling for Marsh’s spot at the top of the order, with Burns seemingly having the edge.

Steyn had walked off injured after dismissing their key man, Warner.

In the past 24 years, Australian teams have lost only three series at home – two of them to South Africa, in 2008/09 and 2012/13, the other to England in 2010/11.

“I’m not really sure that’s the way we’re thinking”, Smith said.

“He’s a bit of a grinder and very patient”, Hazlewood said of Elgar on Thursday, adding the rest of South Africa’s line-up seemed more willing to play at shots.

“We told ourselves to be relentless and not let Australia back into the game”. The team’s shortcomings overseas have generally been cast aside as out of sight, out of mind by the time the record is set straight in the summer. “When you’ve got big partnerships, it just looks easier”.

Du Plessis couldn’t praise Rabada and debutant spinner Keshav Mahraj enough for their contributions. 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. “I am incredibly proud of him”. They may be without their main batsman and bowler in De Villiers and Steyn, but, as they displayed at Perth, they are a risky side with players capable of chipping in timely. “I am confident going into the game”.

“I didn’t see too much”.

“I guess now I am going to the coldest place in the country. No one likes to lose”.

While Bavuma’s run-out effort may not be remembered as long as Duminy’s century or Rabada’s bowling, it will have been a great tonic for the South Africans.

Du Plessis didn’t take any delight in the criticism being levelled at counterpart Smith or Australia, noting “they’ll be hurting from the previous Test match and they’ll want to turn that around”.

Both teams are nursing some exhausted bowlers, with Australia’s Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Siddle and Mitchell Marsh all “pretty sore”. He finished with seven wickets for the match.

Lawson has backed Callum Ferguson to replace Marsh in Saturday’s second test against South Africa in Hobart, saying the allrounder’s poor form has been the catalyst for Australia’s four-game losing test streak.

South Africa, meanwhile, will have to decide between Morne Morkel and Kyle Abbott as Steyn’s replacement in its only likely change from Perth. Australia, through Josh Hazlewood, have made clear their envy of South Africa’s ability to get the ball moving.