Perth: Australia's batsmen have been urged to deal with the WACA conditions quicker than they did in their first innings when they chase victory - or look to save - the first Test.

The hosts squandered a 158-run opening stand between David Warner and Shaun Marsh and endured a dramatic collapse of 10-86 to finish with only a two-run first innings lead.

Proteas batsmen Dean Elgar and JP Duminy on Saturday then took to an underdone attack where a lack of bowling by spearhead Mitchell Starc and Peter Siddle in the lead-up to this Test became obvious.

Starc was wayward in his line and length while Siddle's drop in pace – he regularly averaged less than 130km/h – became an issue, leaving only Josh Hazlewood to consistently trouble the batsmen. Siddle, however, finally broke a 250-run stand when Duminy (141) chased a 122km/h wide delivery and was given out but only after Australia called for a decision review and umpire Aleem Dar's original call was over-turned.

South Australian quick Joe Mennie, the 12th man in Perth but released to play in the Redbacks' ongoing Sheffield Shield clash, will come into serious calculations to make his Test debut when the series shifts to Hobart on Saturday. 

The tactics of skipper Steve Smith were also questioned, with South African great Barry Richards and former Australian allrounder Tom Moody questioning on Fairfax Radio why off-spinner Nathan Lyon had not been used in a wicketless​ morning session, particularly as Elgar and Duminy were left-handed.

"He is senior member of the side, he hasn't seen the ball," Moody said.

Former skipper Michael Clarke even took to Twitter to urge Smith to draft Lyon into the attack, which eventually came shortly after lunch.

Lyon was unlucky not to have Elgar caught on 81 when his mistimed drive was grassed by Starc.

Australia's problems against reverse swing were exposed by paceman Vernon Philander on Friday but the Proteas will be weakened significantly in their quest for victory by the absence of spearhead Dale Steyn, who was hurt on Friday and faces a potentially career-ending shoulder injury.

However, on a cracking deck which could begin to play havoc, the challenge is before the Australians to show they can handle swing bowling – and the pressure of chasing a healthy total or holding on for a draw.

Test selector Mark Waugh said the Australians needed to adjust quicker than they had earlier in the match.

"It's obviously more difficult to hit the ball when it's moving and a straight ball is easier to bat against. That comes down to your technique and mental strength and you have just got to adapt to the conditions probably a bit better and you have got to tighten up your defence, maybe don't play as loosely," he said.

"To be honest, the way pitches are around world cricket you don't get a lot of those conditions, so when you do get it, batsmen are a little uneasy about it. They are good enough to cope with it, it's just adapting to the conditions a bit quicker."

Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis was approached by umpires Dar and Nigel Llong in the first innings after the tourists began to scuff up the ball by throwing it into the rough of the centre-wicket area – even when the ball was being returned from the in-field.

This was done in a bid to hasten the ball being conducive for reverse swing. The tourists will need to be more subtle about this in the second innings otherwise they could face greater censure.

Duminy notched his fifth Test century, and third against Australia, adding to his 166 at the MCG in 2008 and 123 at Port Elizabeth in 2014. While he has averaged an underwhelming 32.4 in his career, he has relished facing Australia, averaging 70.6 before his latest innings.

The more circumspect Elgar had been more content to nudge his nation into a strong position, and was rewarded with his maiden century against Australia. Despite the second new ball being taken, their lead had vaulted to 293 by tea on day three. Australia's highest successful run chase in Perth was 8-342 against India in 1977.

Steyn said on Saturday he had a "clean fracture" in a bone in his shoulder and almost certainly would require surgery. He said it would be a "minimum of six months" before he was training again.