Captain Graeme Smith led the Proteas to their first-ever series win in Australia at the MCG in Melbourne on Monday finally breaking a hoodoo that has hung over the South Africans for decades.

An aggressive Smith hammered a superb half-century, his second of the match, as the Proteas thumped the Australians by nine wickets to claim the second Test ? and thus the series ? at the MCG.

Chasing 153 on the final day, the Proteas resumed on 30 without loss and Smith picked up where he left off on Monday, attacking the Australian bowlers and ensuring that Ricky Ponting?s men never got a sniff.

Smith was gone for 75, but along with Neil McKenzie ? returning to form with an unbeaten 59 ? he had done the job asked of him. Hashim Amla may have hit the winning runs, but the SA skipper had laid the platform for this magnificent victory that has been years in the making.

Amla finished unbeaten as Ponting and his team could find no breakthrough early on in the day. Bizarrely, the Aussie skipper ignored Mitchell Johnson on the fifth morning ? turning instead to the injured Brett Lee and rookie Peter Siddle.

It was a gamble and it did not pay off...

Spinner Nathan Hauritz made the breakthrough when Smith was gone lbw, but by that stage the horse had bolted and South Africa were already preparing their victory celebrations.

There was nothing Australia could do either side of lunch and Matthew Hayden's poor match continued when he put down McKenzie on 49 when the Proteas opener edged to first slip.

Amla finished unbeaten on 30, flicking left-arm spinner Michael Clarke for two behind square leg to seal the victory and send the SA dressing-room into wild celebrations.

This is the first series that Australia has lost at home in more than 15 years and going into the final Test in Sydney it is hard to see the hosts coming back from such a demoralising defeat.

Adding to their woes will be the continued glut of injuries ? Andrew Symonds is battling with a knee injury and his likely replacement, Shane Watson, has been ruled out for up to six months with back stress fractures.

One thing is certain, however, and that is Australia will field a new-look team in Sydney. After spending so much time in the driving seat of world cricket, the Australians have finally been caught by the chasing pack.

Who will take over the mantle of number one? Only time will tell, but officially, the South Africans have a chance to do so with a win in Sydney.