PERTH, Dec 19: A fighting knock from wicket-keeper Brad Haddin put Australia back in control against South Africa after a see-sawing third day of the first Test here on Friday.

Australia were 228-7 at stumps with an overall lead of 322, with two days of play remaining on a WACA pitch that has produced 27 wickets in three days.Spinner Jason Krejza (28 not out), who came to the crease at 162-7, combined with Haddin (39) for a vital 66-run partnership in 63 minutes for the eighth wicket.

Australia are now well placed given the highest successful run-chase in the WACA Test was India’s 342-8 against Australia in 1977-78.

After Mitchell Johnson took a remarkable 8-61 to bowl South Africa out for 281, handing Australia a first-innings lead of 94, South Africa struck an early blow with the wicket of the 101-Test veteran Matthew Hayden.

The 37-year-old left-hander was caught and bowled by Dale Steyn, although his bat wasn’t near the ball as it ballooned off his pad.

Hayden had a lucky break on zero, however, when he appeared to be lbw to Steyn after not offering a shot.

Since completing consecutive centuries against India in January, the big Queenslander has scored 282 runs at 23.50. Australian coach Tim Nielsen admitted the opener is “under the gun”.

“The public and I suppose the press in a way are maybe looking for a reason or a time when he’s going to finish. I’m not sure if he has made that decision at all,” Nielsen said.

“I suppose at the end of this series we will sit down and see where he’s at. It will make it more difficult if his scores aren’t as consistent as you would like them to be.

“Yeah there is doubt created by the fact he ... hasn’t got a hundred for a few Tests [since January].

“At the moment he is the one who is under the gun. But ... there’s no concerns from my end.”Australia reached 59-1 before losing three wickets for 29 runs in a middle-order collapse as opener Simon Katich (37), skipper Ricky Ponting (32) and Mike Hussey (8) departed.

For the second time in the match, Andrew Symonds chipped a simple catch to long-on from the bowling of spinner Paul Harris, departing for 37 from the first delivery after drinks in the evening session.

Brett Lee (5) soon followed with Jacques Kallis (2-19 in 11 overs) bowling a fine spell.

The tourists’ innings came to an end as Peter Siddle claimed his first wicket on Australian soil with the dismissal of Mark Boucher for 26.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA (1st Innings) 375 (S.M. Katich 83, M.J. Clarke 62, A. Symonds 57; M. Ntini 4-72).

SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings, overnight 243-8):

N.D. McKenzie c Krejza b Johnson 2

G.C. Smith b Johnson 48

H.M. Amla b Krejza 47

J.H. Kallis c Haddin b Johnson 63

A.B. de Villiers c Haddin b Johnson 63

J.P. Duminy c Haddin b Johnson 1

M.V. Boucher c Katich b Siddle 26

M. Morkel c Krejza b Johnson 1

P.L. Harris c Krejza b Johnson 0

D.W. Steyn c Haddin b Johnson 8

M. Ntini not out 17

EXTRAS (LB-5, W-5, NB-7) 17

TOTAL (all out, 89.5 overs) 281

FALL OF WKTS: 1-16, 2-106, 3-110, 4-234, 5-237, 6-238, 7-241, 8-241, 9-256.

BOWLING: Lee 21-3-59-0 (4nb); Johnson 24-4-61-8 (4w); Krejza 25-2-102-1 (1w); Siddle 16.5-5-44-1 (3nb); Symonds 3-1-10-0.

AUSTRALIA (2nd Innings):

M.L. Hayden c and b Steyn 4

S.M. Katich c Boucher b Kallis 37

R.T. Ponting c Boucher b Harris 32

M.E.K. Hussey b Ntini 8

M.J. Clarke c Kallis b Steyn 25

A. Symonds c Smith b Harris 37

B.J. Haddin not out 39

B. Lee c de Villiers b Kallis 5

J.J. Krejza not out 28

EXTRAS (LB-6, W-2, NB-5) 13

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 75 overs) 228

FALL OF WKTS: 1-25, 2-59, 3-88, 4-88, 5-148, 6-157, 7-162.

BOWLING (to-date): Steyn 16-3-57-2; Ntini 13-2-55-1 (1nb); Harris 23-3-64-2 (2w); Kallis 11-4-19-2; Morkel 12-3-27-0 (4nb).—Agencies