PERTH, Dec 20: South Africa captain Graeme Smith’s breakthrough century on Saturday in the first Test against Australia has given the tourists a slim chance of claiming a memorable victory here.

Two wickets from pacemen Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee late on day four at the WACA have swung the game back slightly in Australia’s favour and history is on their side.

Left-armer Johnson has 2-56 for the innings and 10 wickets in the match.

In pursuit of a victory target of 414 — which would be the second-highest successful run chase in Test cricket history — South Africa were 227-3 at stumps and require another 187 in a day to win.

Jacques Kallis (33) and A.B. de Villiers (11) were at the crease. Both are in good touch after half-centuries in South Africa’s first innings.

Battling an elbow complaint which required on-field treatment, Smith scored an inspirational 108 in almost four hours, including 13 fours, from 147 balls.

The skipper scored his first hundred in nine Tests against Australia before Johnson trapped him lbw at 7:00pm local time, an hour before stumps on a rain-affected day.

South Africa began their reply, knowing that in Johnson they would be facing a bowler brimming with confidence following his 8-61 in their first innings.

It did not take the left-arm paceman long to make an impact as Neil McKenzie failed for the second time in the game when he edged to the keeper and departed for 10.

Smith met the situation with some aggressive strokeplay and brought up his 18th Test century with two successive square cuts for four off Johnson.

But the tourists suffered a double blow when Smith and Hashim Amla were dismissed in the space of four overs after a second-wicket partnership of 163.

Smith was deceived by a slower ball from Johnson and Amla, perhaps shaken up by a bouncer the previous ball, failed to move his feet to a full-length delivery from Brett Lee and was caught behind for 53.

“Any century you score is very satisfying personally but there was a bigger picture for me. I really wanted to be there at the end of the day.

“That was one of my big targets but it wasn’t to be. It was nevertheless nice to give the scoring some momentum and get the team going,” said Smith.

The double setback left Kallis and de Villiers to try and rebuild the innings and they did so with some comfort, adding 48 in 11 overs before the close.

Kallis hooked Siddle for six and struck two consecutive boundaries in the next over from Krejza but he will need to go on to a big score on the final day if South Africa are to go close to reaching their target.

“414 would be an incredible achievement,” said Smith. “We won’t arrive tomorrow thinking in terms of 187 [to win]. We need to bat for 55 to 60 overs and the rest will take care of itself.”

Earlier, Brad Haddin was last man out for a hard-hitting 94 from 136 balls for Australia. He hit two sixes and a four in consecutive balls off the bowling of spinner Paul Harris (3-85) in the 97th over. The NSW wicket-keeper was out stumped two deliveries later as Australia were bowled out for 319 on the stroke of lunch.

Australia’s tail wagged vigorously, adding 157 runs for the last three wickets.

Haddin, a 10-Test player who scored his maiden century last month in the second Test against New Zealand in Adelaide, hit seven fours and four sixes after his 46 in the first innings.

Peter Siddle made four in a last-wicket stand of 41.

Australia had resumed on Saturday morning on 228-7. Jason Krejza made 32 and Johnson contributed a handy 21.

Kallis (3-24 off 14 overs) continued his fine comeback after a modest effort in the first innings (0-65) by removing Krejza caught at point by a diving de Villiers, ending a 79-run partnership with Haddin.

Scoreboard

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

SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings) 281 (J.H. Kallis 63, A.B. de Villiers 63; M.G. Johnson 8-61).

AUSTRALIA (2nd Innings, overnight 228-7):

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 st Boucher b Harris 94

B. Lee c de Villiers b Kallis 5

J.J. Krejza c de Villiers b Kallis 32

M.G. Johnson c Kallis b Morkel 21

P.M. Siddle not out 4

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-7, W-2, NB-7) 20

TOTAL (all out, 97 overs) 319

FALL OF WKTS: 1-25, 2-59, 3-88, 4-88, 5-148, 6-157, 7-162, 8-241, 9-278.

BOWLING: Steyn 19-3-81-2; Ntini 21-2-76-1 (1nb); Harris 27-3-85-3 (2w); Kallis 14-4-24-3; Morkel 16-4-42-1 (6nb).

SOUTH AFRICA (2nd Innings):

G.C. Smith lbw b Johnson 108

N.D. McKenzie c Haddin b Johnson 10

H.M. Amla c Haddin b Lee 53

J.H. Kallis not out 33

A.B. de Villiers not out 11

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-5, W-1, NB-2) 12

TOTAL (for three wkts, 64 overs) 227

FALL OF WKTS: 1-19, 2-172, 3-179.

BOWLING (to-date): Lee 16-3-40-1 (2nb); Johnson 19-3-56-2 (1w); Siddle 14-0-56-0; Krejza 15-1-66-0.—Agencies