DURBAN, South Africa: Australia set South Africa a 421-run target and the Proteas were laboring at 102-4 after the first full day of cricket in the first test at Kingsmead on Monday.
Another innings-leading score by Matt Renshaw of 82 helped Australia declare its second innings at 314-6 just before scheduled tea.
Bad light ended play early on the previous three days but sunshine allowed the action to continue past 4:30 p.m. local time for the first time in the test for another hour in an extended three-hour session.
Unable to be saved by bad light, South Africa lost two more wickets after 4:30 p.m.; captain Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs, both on 1.
At stumps, Aiden Markram was 45 not out with Wiaan Mulder on 5 and South Africa was struggling on a decent pitch at 2.48 runs per over, especially against spinners Nathan Lyon and part-timer Renshaw.
Renshaw was enjoying a dream test: A career-best 190 followed by a 99-ball 82 and a bonus first test wicket. He got Bavuma bat-pad and caught at short leg by Nic Maddinson.
South Africa had already lost Ryan Rickelton on 2, out caught off Josh Hazlewood for a second time in the match, and David Bedingham, out lbw to Hazlewood. Again, Bedingham fell short of a half-century, 46 following 49 in the first innings.
Pat Cummins claimed the fourth wicket when Stubbs was caught behind. South Africa was 86-4 and facing a tall task on the final day.
Australia resumed from 33-0 overnight and was 174-4 by lunch.
Maddinson set the tone for a faster scoring pace with 48 off 38 balls, including two sixes, and negating his duck in the first innings. Fellow opener Travis Head was out for 11.
Australia had two aggressive partnerships in the morning.
Steve Smith (27) and Marnus Labuschagne (37) added 53 off 77 balls.
Smith was hit on the head off Anrich Nortje’s rising delivery and didn’t field during South Africa’s second innings pending the result of a concussion test. Smith has a history of concussion and vertigo. He continued after the knock on his helmet and was out caught off Simon Harmer.
Labuschagne and Renshaw added 32 off 31 balls before lunch when Labuschagne mis-hit a drive and was out for 37 off 58 balls, identical to his first innings figures. Its the 12th known instance of runs scored and balls faced in men’s test cricket.
Australia lost four wickets in the morning but led by 280 runs at lunch.
After the break, Renshaw reached 50 off 75 balls while Nortje bowled Carey for 24. The duo took Australia past 200.
Renshaw and Beau Webster added 65 off 71 balls when Renshaw fell after spinner Keshav Maharaj took a surprising return catch. Renshaw finished the test with 272 runs.
Captain Cummins had one eye on a declaration as the lead passed 400. He and Webster added 44 off only 19 balls. Webster was 39 not out off 43 balls and Cummins had 32 off 12 with four sixes, three in one over by Harmer.