Nic Maddinson's bounce back has helped give Australia the chance to set up a fourth-innings chase for South Africa, with the tourists going to lunch on day four at 4-174 and with a lead of 280.
After his selection was heavily criticised following a first-innings 33-ball duck, Maddinson blazed his way to 48 on Monday as Australia went about chasing quick runs in the first Test in Durban.
He was bowled by an Anrich Nortje yorker just shy of a half-century, before Marnus Labuschagne (37), Steve Smith (27) and Matt Renshaw (32no) continued the charge.
Labuschagne again looked in good touch before giving away a start, while Renshaw has reverse-swept at will after his first innings 190 on being moved down to No.5
Maddinson's spot in the team for the second Test in Gqeberha on Sunday will be a talking point, with Josh Inglis and Cameron Green striving to be fit.
But the 34-year-old has at least given himself a chance at the selection table following almost a decade in the wilderness.
After facing 33 scoreless balls on day one in Durban on day one, Maddinson's 48 came off just 38 deliveries and included six fours and two sixes.
His intent was obvious when he hooked Marco Jansen for four on the first ball of the innings, before clearing the legside rope off Wiaan Mulder as light faded on day three.
The left-hander then kept going on Thursday.
Some shots were more streaky than others as he went hard at the quicks outside off stump, but he also produced one imperious strike back over spinner Simon Harmer's head for six.
Nortje then knocked out Maddinson's middle and leg stump early in a spell that included a number of snarling deliveries before Smith put the quick to the sword.
At one stage the South African hit Smith on the helmet and wrapped Labuschagne on the gloves with back-to-back balls, amid signs of inconsistent bounce.
But Labuschagne pulled and cut the quick to the boundary at the end of his next over, before Smith soon after beat a deep point on three consecutive balls.
Smith was then caught by the 203cm Jansen on the long-on rope off Harmer, having marginally cleared the quick a few balls earlier.
Labuschagne was again frustrated to give away a start, after driving the spinners nicely and whipping the ball off his toes before hitting Keshav Maharaj to cover.
The Queenslander made the exact same score from the same amount of balls in the first innings, with seven of his 14 scores since the start of last summer landing between 30 and 70.
Travis Head was the other man out on Monday morning, when he spooned Jansen to mid wicket on 11.
The major hurdle for Australia in this Test remains the light, with 45 overs lost across the first three days and the final hour of play unrealistic due to the sunset.