Elgar will resume on the fourth morning, with his captain Faf du Plessis on 34, as the pair look to increase the lead towards the 500-run mark. With so much time left in the test, a declaration at that point would make South Africa heavy favourites to win or secure a draw at the very least. The wicket is beginning to misbehave with variable bounce and there is sideways movement to assist the bowlers, which has brought Australia some success. The excellent Pat Cummins (2-35) removed in-form Aiden Markram (37) when he edged to Peter Handscomb at second slip, but not before the opener, playing just his 18th test innings, went past 1,000 runs in the five day game, the second fastest to reach that mark for South Africa behind Graeme Smith (17 innings).South Africa remain in complete control, but there was some fight from the Aussies on day three #SAvAUS pic.twitter.com/tl1I94l4Fl
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) April 1, 2018
Hashim Amla (16) was caught at backward short leg by Mitchell March from a Nathan Lyon delivery, while AB de Villiers (six) gloved a rising Cummins ball to wicketkeeper Tim Paine. South Africa had earlier bowled Australia out for 221 in their first innings with a rush of wickets after lunch having been frustrated in the morning session by Paine (62) and Cummins (50), who put on 99 for the seventh wicket. New Australia captain Paine batted bravely with a stress fracture on his thumb to score a valuable half-century, his fourth in test cricket, but was the last man out as Elgar took a brilliant running catch at mid-off from a Kagiso Rabada (3-53) delivery.A boundary brings up the 400-run lead for South Africa! Score now is 134/3 (54.1 ovs). Du Plessis 34*, Elgar 39. #ProteaFire #SAvAUS #SunfoilTest pic.twitter.com/hh7pAVOUZf
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) April 1, 2018
Cummins was the only wicket to fall in the morning session when he was trapped leg before wicket by spinner Keshav Maharaj (3-92), but South Africa ran through the tail after lunch. The home side have a fitness worry as seamer Morne Morkel, playing in his final test before retirement from international cricket, was forced from the field with a left side strain, but he did return to the pitch after the interval and will be monitored overnight. BRIEF SCORE: South Africa 488 and 134 for 3 (Elgar 39*, Du Plessis 34*) lead Australia 221 (Paine 62, Khawaja 53, Cummins 50, Philander 3-30, Rabada 3-53, Maharaj 3-92) by 401 runsReport, highlights: Aussies fight but fourth Test slipping away: https://t.co/EtWtA8nLZ2 #SAvAUS pic.twitter.com/q5K2pKtSAO
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) April 1, 2018
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