Australia has started its one-day international series in the right fashion, beating South Africa by 32 runs at the WACA, but it was not all good news for the hosts.

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Captain Michael Clarke played no part in the fielding effort after aggravating his hamstring injury while running between wickets as Australia set South Africa 301 runs to win.

George Bailey’s innings was swings and roundabouts. Photo: Getty

That left George Bailey, whose 70 off 75 balls was the top score for the hosts, to take over the captaincy during the bowling effort.

Things got off to a great start for Australia, with newly-crowned cricketer of the year Mitchell Johnson had the opening pair of Hashim Amla (8) and Quinton de Kock (2) caught behind by Matthew Wade in the third and fifth overs respectively.

South Africa slumped to a troubling 3 for 53 when Nathan Coulter-Nile had Farhaan Behardien (20) caught at deep mid-wicket by Aaron Finch.

That brought AB de Villiers to the crease, and he was joined by 25-year-old David Miller when Faf du Plessis tried one too many big shots off Shane Watson, holing out to Mitchell Marsh at deep fine leg for 31.

De Villiers and Miller went about batting Australia out of the game, playing brilliantly as they put on 124 runs for the fifth wicket.

The tourists looked comfortable at 4 for 202, but that became 6 for 202 in the space of three Coulter-Nile deliveries.

Miller departed after a run-a-ball 65 when he chipped Coulter-Nile to Marsh at mid-on, and the West Australian picked up his third wicket two balls later when all-rounder Ryan McLaren was caught behind for a duck.

Josh Hazlewood, playing his first ODI in over a year, then had opposing paceman Vernon Philander caught behind as he backed away from a bouncer.

Even Steve Smith got in on the act.

The star batsman was dropped to 12th man for the opening game but spent the entire innings in the field as a replacement for Clarke.

He put his ample fielding ability to good use in the 40th over, producing a brilliant diving run-out from short cover to remove De Villiers for 80, all but ending South Africa’s chase.

Coulter-Nile got rid of Dale Steyn to round out a good night with the ball on his home turf and leave just batsmen 10 and 11, Morne Morkel and Imran Tahir, at the crease.

Despite requiring an unlikely 79 runs from the last eight overs, the two tail-enders hung around like limpets, putting on 46 runs in just under seven overs before Tahir smacked a Glenn Maxwell delivery to David Warner at deep mid-off.