Kagiso Rabada claimed his fourth five-wicket haul to take South Africa to the brink of victory at lunch on the fifth day of the first Test against Australia at the WACA on Monday.

Australia‚ set a mythical 539 to win‚ were 263/7 with all of their frontline batsmen dismissed.

Rabada‚ who took 5/73‚ struck in the eighth over of the day when he had Mitchell Marsh trapped in front for 26 to end a stubborn stand of 50 for the fifth wicket shared with Usman Khawaja.

Australia would have been reduced to 203/5 in Rabada’s next over but second slip Faf du Plessis‚ diving in front of first slip Hashim Amla‚ failed to hold the low‚ dipping catch offered by Peter Nevill.

Rabada left the field two overs later‚ and shortly afterwards he was seen in the dressingroom with an ice pack strapped to his right shoulder.

That sparked fears that Rabada would join Dale Steyn - who was ruled out for six months on Friday with a broken shoulder - on South Africa’s injury list.

But team management said Rabada was resting and he reappeared in time to bowl the first over with the new ball‚ which was taken immediately it was due four overs before lunch.

During Rabada’s absence‚ Temba Bavuma was called on to bowl his medium pace for the first time in his 12 Tests - and hit Khawaja’s pads bang in front of the stumps with his first delivery.

But umpire Nigel Llong had called no-ball and replays proved him correct.

Khawaja fell three overs later to another part-timer‚ off-spinner JP Duminy‚ who found the gap between bat and pad and had the left-hander leg-before for 97.

Rabada completed his five-wicket haul seven balls before lunch when Mitchell Marsh was adjudged adjacent for 13.

Peter Nevill was 20 not out with Peter Siddle yet to score. – TMG Sport