Johnson destroys South Africa

CENTURION, South Africa (AP):Australia crushed South Africa in the first Test yesterday, dominating the top-ranked team in every department in a 281-run rout.

Unstoppable fast bowler Mitchell Johnson took 12 of Australia's 20 wickets for career-best match figures, three Australian batsmen made centuries against a pace attack featuring the two top-ranked test bowlers, and the Aussie fielders caught everything that came near them in an all-around display that rivalled their whitewash of England in the Ashes.

humbling defeats

This was one of South Africa's most humbling defeats in the five years it's gone unbeaten in test series.

"You're playing the No. 1 team in the world. The only way to beat them is to be at your best," Australia captain, Michael Clarke, said.

By becoming the first team to beat South Africa at SuperSport Park in 14 years, and only the second team ever, Australia also struck a resounding psychological blow for the remainder of the three-match series, as Clarke and Johnson promised they would get even better in Port Elizabeth and Cape Town.

While Johnson ripped out seven South African batsmen in the first innings and five in the second to bowl the home team out for timid scores of 206 and 200, he also left them bruised after a succession of brutal short-pitched deliveries, some up to a blistering 150kph.

His first delivery to Hashim Amla on Saturday hit him square on the grill of the helmet. He later drew blood after a crunching blow to the side of Ryan McLaren's helmet.

AB De Villiers made 91 and 48 in the two innings and was the only South African to score more than 40 in the Test against Johnson's pace.

In contrast to South Africa's struggles, Shaun Marsh, Steve Smith and David Warner all made centuries, and Alex Doolan hit 89 on debut in the second innings as South Africa's quicks melted away.