Matt Renshaw top-scored for the second time in the match and took a key wicket as Australia pushed for victory on the fourth day of the first Test against South Africa at Kingsmead on Monday.
South Africa, set an improbable 421 runs to win, were 102 for four at the close.
Renshaw followed his marathon 190 in the first innings with a brisk 82 in the second as Australia hurried to 314 for six in 58 overs before declaring.
Opening bowler Josh Hazlewood struck twice before Renshaw, a part-time off-spinner, claimed his first Test wicket when he had South African captain Temba Bavuma caught off bat and pad at short leg.
Australian captain Pat Cummins had Tristan Stubbs caught behind three overs later, leaving the world Test champions with an almost impossible task on Tuesday if Bavuma is to retain an unbeaten captaincy record.
Since being appointed in 2023, Bavuma has led South Africa in 12 Tests, achieving 11 wins and a draw. No other captain in Test history has had such a successful start to a captaincy career.
South Africa have lost four Tests since his appointment but all happened with other players at the helm.
One of the wins under Bavuma was in the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord's in 2025.
While Renshaw's first innings was notable for his patience and the way he left the ball, the big left-hander was aggressive on Monday.
He hit seven fours and two sixes in facing 99 balls as Australia set out to score quickly to give themselves enough time to bowl South Africa out.
The tone was set from the start of the day as Nic Maddinson, who struggled to a 33-ball duck, continued to attack the bowling as he had done at the start of the Australian second innings on Sunday.
Maddinson needed just 19 balls to hurry from 17 to a Test-best 48 before he was bowled by a fast yorker from Anrich Nortje.
Nortje was South Africa's most impressive bowler. He struck Steve Smith on the helmet with a bouncer which prevented Smith from taking the field at the start of South Africa’s second innings, and also bowled Alex Carey.
Renshaw was in sight of a second century in the match when he was out to a remarkable juggling return catch by Keshav Maharaj which needed to be confirmed by an umpire’s review.
Cummins was next in and he thrashed four sixes in scoring 32 not out off 12 balls before declaring.
Brief scores:
Australia 390 and 314-6 declared (N. Maddinson 48, M. Labuschagne 37, M. Renshaw 82, B. Webster 39 not out, P. Cummins 32 not out; A. Nortje 2-56, K.Maharaj 2-56).
South Africa 284 and 102-4 (A. Markram 45 not out, D. Bedingham 46; J. Hazlewood 2-20)
Match situation: South Africa need 319 runs to win with six wickets remaining.
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Toss: Australia