Australia stayed in control of the third Test against South Africa on Saturday with a lead of 276 runs at tea despite a century from AB de Villers.
Unbeaten De Villiers put up a fight with 104 but South Africa were all out for just 220 runs 50 minutes before tea on the third day to concede a first-innings lead of 246.
De Villiers resumed on his overnight score of 13 and lasted until the end of the innings having batted for 285 minutes and faced 185 balls for his eighth century in his 50th test.
Australia’s left-arm paceman Mitchell Johnson was the chief destroyer with top-class figures of four for 25 in 18.1 overs.
The tourists batted for 10 overs in their second innings before tea and openers Phillip Hughes and Simon Katich made it safely through to 30 without loss.
Australia captain Ricky Ponting declined to enforce the follow-on and forecast rain showers will be South Africa’s best hope of making the game safe.
Johnson was well-supported by a fiery Peter Siddle, who took three for 76 in 21 overs. The two pacemen found top gear as they reduced South Africa to 158 for eight at lunch.
The 25-year-old De Villiers was the last specialist batsman remaining and had scored a defiant, level-headed 63 not out.
He moved to his century in the company of last man Makhaya Ntini, powering a pull off Ben Hilfenhaus through midwicket for his eighth four to go with a six off spinner Marcus North.
Five balls later, Johnson blasted a delivery through Ntini to bowl him for a single and end the innings.
De Villiers and Dale Steyn earlier produced some stirring resistance when they added 52 for the ninth wicket.
No heroics
However, Steyn could not reproduce his heroics of the series-clinching Melbourne Test in December as Andrew McDonald claimed a wicket, having him caught at slip for 17.
Johnson struck twice in one over 45 minutes before lunch to derail the South African innings.
JP Duminy, the 24-year-old playing his fourth Test but first at home, was caught down the leg side by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin for 17 as a Johnson short ball got big on him, and Haddin then claimed an edge three balls later from Mark Boucher.
The South African wicketkeeper appealed against the decision, but third umpire Asad Rauf found no evidence to change Billy Bowden’s verdict and Boucher was out for a duck to leave South Africa in tatters on 138 for six.
De Villiers went to a three-hour half-century soon afterwards but, as the safety of lunch neared, South Africa lost two more quick wickets.
Morne Morkel scored just two runs before he mishit a pull shot and presented an easy return catch to Siddle, while off-spinner North won an lbw decision against Paul Harris (1).
Opener Neil McKenzie, who threatened an innings of major resistance having occupied the crease for 171 minutes and 125 balls in scoring 36, saw his defiance end when Siddle trapped him leg-before with a delivery that nipped back into him.
McKenzie appealed the decision but was unsuccessful and, with Boucher using up South Africa’s other referral, Harris could not get a second life even though the ball appeared to strike his toe on the full outside off stump. – Reuters