Michael Clarke has got just about everything right in South Africa so far.

From the Australia captain’s insistence that his bowling attack is better than the higher-ranked opposition, to his correct analysis of a deceptive Centurion pitch that left the home team baffled in the first test, to his unleashing of lethal left-arm quick Mitchell Johnson in the short, sharp bursts that sliced through No.1-ranked South Africa and left scars, likely mental as well as physical, for the remaining two matches of the series.

One thing he’s a little off on, though, according to the signs at SuperSport Park, is his assessment of how far from the top the Aussies stand now having brought the best team in the world to its knees to win a sixth straight test – all of them by some distance.

“We want to get back to being the No.1 test team in the world. We’re a long way from that at the moment,” Clarke said after Australia crushed South Africa by 281 runs at one of the home team’s favorite grounds.

“But it’s nice to see us compete against the No.1 team and challenge.”

The words compete and challenge suggest an even battle, but there was little sign of that in the four days it took Australia to dismantle the top-ranked South Africans playing on home soil.

SuperSport Park has seen just one South African loss in 18 tests spanning nearly 20 years before this series opener, and that as a result of Hansie Cronje’s infamous contrived declaration against England in 2000.

No.3-ranked Australia’s return to a position of strength in test cricket just six months after it was beaten 3-0 in England was absolutely confirmed in the first game in South Africa no matter what the rankings – or Clarke – say.

Australia’s dominance was comprehensive, featuring Johnson’s career-best bowling figures of 12-127, centuries by three Australian batsmen, and with a fielding display so slick it left the normally impressive South Africans clutching at straws.

“I feel that this game will benefit us going into the next game. I really do believe that,” South Africa captain Graeme Smith said after the kind of defeat the Proteas haven’t seen at home in the five years they have gone unbeaten in test series.

Smith added that he doubted there would be much mental scarring for his batsmen after the carnage at Centurion.