An inexperienced South Africa played the role of party-poopers as Australia began their important international summer with a seven-wicket Twenty20 defeat in Adelaide.
Debutant Rilee Rossouw took the lead role for the tourists as he set-up a comfortable chase with 78 from 50 balls after Australia had stuttered to 144 for six.
That never appeared enough when Rossouw, who was dropped on seven, shared a 129-run stand for the second wicket with Quinton de Kock.
While both eventually fell in quick succession they had already broken the back of the Proteas' pursuit and it was left to stand-in skipper JP Duminy and David Miller to steer them home with an over to spare in the first of three games in the series.
Both teams selected experimental outfits – with Australia’s Test players having only finished their tour of the United Arab Emirates on Monday – with five debutants in all named to kick-off an Antipodean summer that will conclude in the glitz of a World Cup.
Aaron Finch took charge of Australia on home soil for the first time since being named Twenty20 skipper, but was first out when he drove Ryan McLaren to man-of-the-match Rossouw at short cover.
The home innings then never found full flow on a good surface, despite Shane Watson’s 47 on his return to the national team after injury, and James Faulkner’s unbeaten 41. Kyle Abbott was the pick of the South African bowlers with 3-21.
Australia struck with the second ball of South Africa’s reply, first-gamer Reeza Hendricks edging Doug Bollinger to wicketkeeper Ben Dunk, before Rossouw and de Kock took over.
Rossouw was given his early life off Bollinger, when another debutant Nathan Reardon spilled a tough chance running back from point, and he never looked back as he struck seven fours and three sixes.
While he and de Kock both departed with the score on 129 – the former to quick Pat Cummins in his first Australia game for two years following injury – the game was already well within the tourists’ keeping.
The second match of the series will be played in Melbourne on Friday.