Il Nuovo Postiglione - South Africa beat Australia by 176 runs in third Test to win series

Kagiso Rabada took two wickets in the first over and followed up with a third in a devastating opening spell which ripped out Australia's top three batsmen after they had started the day needing 288 to win.

Off-spinner Simon Harmer took a career-best six for 16 in 21.1 overs as South Africa completed their win shortly before tea.

Josh Inglis was run out to add to Australia's woes after Rabada's initial burst before Harmer took two wickets in three balls to plunge the tourists to 42 for six.

Australia were 60 for seven at lunch when Mitchell Starc was caught at short leg but in keeping with a series of multiple changes of fortune, South Africa were kept in the field for another two hours before completing their win.

South Africa, the defending World Test champions, were projected to depose Australia at the top of the International Cricket Council world Test rankings at the end of a series in which all three matches produced a result on the fifth day.

Travis Head scored a single off Rabada's second delivery but Matt Renshaw, Australia's most successful batsman in the series, was out first ball, glancing Rabada down the leg side to a diving wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton.

Three balls later the out-of-form Marnus Labuschagne padded up to a ball which swung in sharply and was given out leg before wicket, with a review showing umpire's call on off stump.

Head fell to a reflex catch by Marco Jansen at gully as the left-hander flashed at Rabada and the South African players celebrated the demise of a batsman capable of playing a match-changing innings.

S.Abato--INP