Half-centuries from Simon Katich and Ricky Ponting steered Australia to a near impenetrable position at the close of the fourth day in the third Test against South Africa at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday.
Australia declared their second innings on 257-4, leaving South Africa a target of 376 from 116 overs but, more pertinently, with a day and two hours to survive.
Neil McKenzie (25*) and Hashim Amla (30*) were severely tested on the cracking surface but held firm to take South Africa to 62-1 at stumps.
South Africa had wrongly chosen to open the batting with Morne Morkel in place of the injured Graeme Smith, because it was exactly what the opposition would have wanted as the regular number eight was out to his second ball, mistiming a defensive stroke off Doug Bollinger to mid-on and giving Australia great momentum from the start.
But McKenzie blocked his way through 85 balls, while Amla was more fluent in stroking five boundaries off 69 deliveries.
South Africa require another 314 runs for victory on the final day, effectively with eight wickets left due to Smith’s fractured hand, which will be an exceptionally tough call.
If new-ball bowlers Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini had been able to produce the sort of form they have previously in the series, then the day could have been very different as Morne Morkel, Jacques Kallis and Paul Harris all bowled superbly.
Morkel was the pick with 2-38 in 12 overs and fortune smiled on him for once with Matthew Hayden (39) and Ponting (53) both dragging him on to their stumps.
Ponting looked in alarmingly good form as he lashed nine fours off 57 balls, and he then allowed Michael Hussey (45*) and Michael Clarke (41) to add 76 in 17 overs before ringing the declaration bell.
Kallis produced a top-class spell of restrictive bowling in the morning, conceding just 13 runs in 10 overs, while spinner Harris cheerfully wheeled down more than 20 overs, taking 1-63.
Seeing Australia bat so well, and then losing just a tail-ender’s wicket before stumps, will allow South Africa to approach the final day of the series with a song in their heart. They will still need to bat with enormous care, though, as the occasional delivery is rolling along the ground off a crack.
Amla survived a major scare on five when he edged Peter Siddle and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin dropped a diving catch, but there were no more chances for Australia thereafter.