It was a horror couple of hours for South African cricket in general, as the Protea men collapsed to lose 6-33 in New Zealand at the same time Brown and pace twin Annabel Sutherland consigned the women to 76, their lowest ever Test score.

This is only the second Test South Africa’s women have played in the past decade, and it showed as Australia very nearly bowled them out in the first session of the match, leaving them completely rattled at 8-55 at lunch.

Brown’s spectacular 5-21 was not only her best Test match bowling figures, but was the first five-wicket haul of her international career overall as the 20-year-old announced herself as a genuine star of the future.

Sutherland was also mesmerising with her 3-19 from 9 overs, and at one point was on a hat-trick after dismissing South Africa batting star Tazmin Brits and Test debutant Delmi Tucker in successive balls.

The WACA was a favourite hunting ground for Australian quicks over the years, and even though men’s Tests have now switched across the river to Optus Stadium … Brown and Sutherland were able to awaken those demons of old and add to the legend of one of cricket’s most iconic venues.

The South African camp was thrown into chaos before a ball was bowled with batting linchpin Marizanne Kapp ruled out of the contest at the 11th hour due to illness.

Brown pounced in just the second over and had another in the fourth over to leave South Africa in all sorts at 2-5.

The unlucky bowler was fellow opening seamer Kim Garth who was hooping the ball nicely but missed out on what would have been her first Test wicket on home soil when captain Alyssa Healy spilt the catch.

Brown is one of the great characters of the Australian dressing room and notably turned down a six figure sum to play in the inaugural Women’s Premier League in India to give herself a break from the game.

The South Australian was a gun netballer in her teenage years and sought permission from Cricket Australia to go back and play park netball with her mates after feeling a part of her was missing after becoming a professional cricketer.

There were some insurance issues to navigate, but Cricket Australia was rewarded for the flexibility it showed their young star, as she felt completely re-energised by the experience of returning to play her first love of netball.

Brown is now preferred over Australia’s premier fast bowler of the past decade, Megan Schutt and is delivering on her potential.

Sutherland is fast developing into an all-rounder to rival her own Belinda Clark award-winning teammate Ash Gardner as a prodigy who can bat at No. 6 and take key wickets as a strike bowler.

Not to be outdone in the superstar all-rounder stakes, Tahlia McGrath claimed figures of 2-4 from her three overs in the South African rout.

Australia didn’t have it all their own way though, with Phoebe Litchfield dismissed in the first over of her team’s reply and danger player Ellyse Perry also out cheaply to leave the hosts in strife at 2-12.

Originally published as Australia v South Africa women’s cricket Test: Darcie Brown takes five wickets as South Africa collapses for 76