Skipper Pat Cummins bowled Australia into contention to pull off a remarkable victory with a fiery spell against South Africa in an absorbing third Sydney Test on Saturday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Cummins captured three for 29 in a hostile 14 overs to set up the Australians for a dramatic final day charge for victory and a series clean sweep against the hapless Proteas.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
At the close on day four, South Africa were batting for survival at 149 for six in reply to Australia's 475-4 declared with Marco Jansen on 10 and Simon Harmer six.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The outgunned South Africans have only passed 200 once so far in this series.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Australians need 14 more wickets to pull off an astonishing victory and cannot be counted out after rocking the tourists in Saturday's two dominant sessions of the rain-marred Test.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Josh Hazlewood made the initial breakthrough, removing Dean Elgar for 15 continuing the Proteas' skipper's wretched series of low scores.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Hazlewood, bowling a lively opening spell, got Elgar with a brutal short-pitched delivery which clipped his glove for a catch by wicketkeeper Alex Carey.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Nathan Lyon stunned Sarel Elwee who did not play a shot and was bowled top of off-stump for 18 leaving the tourists 37-2 in the 18th over.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Four balls later Cummins claimed his first victim with Heinrich Klaasen, caught off a lifter leg-side by Carey for two.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Hazlewood broke through again after tea with an inswinger that kissed the edge of Temba Bavuma's bat for Carey to do the rest.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Bavuma clouted two sixes off Lyon in his 35 off 74 balls but was a big wicket for the Aussies to leave the visitors 85-4 in the 39th over.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"The boys said it's starting to reverse swing so if we can keep the ball dry and put a bit of work into it, then hopefully the boys can do the job with reverse swing," Lyon said during a drinks break.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"There is a bit of rough out here now so we'll try to get them on the front foot and see what we can do."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Cummins removed Khaya Zondo with a superb yorker that trapped him leg before wicket for 39 and South Africa's fifth wicket.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The skipper charged in to lead the Australian bowling assault with two fearsome deliveries thudding into Marco Jansen's upper body.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Cummins quickly got another wicket, with Kyle Verreynne edging to Steve Smith at slip for 19 for Smith's 151st Test catch.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
- Khawaja misses double ton -
\r\nAfter rain again prevented play in the morning session, Cummins declared his team's first innings after lunch to chase victory.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Cummins's decision to declare deprived opener Usman Khawaja of a first Test double century, with the elegant opener stranded on 195 not out.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The weather forecast is for improving conditions and Australia have potentially 98 more overs on Sunday's final day to finish off the South Africans.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In the first Brisbane Test, the Proteas lost all 20 wickets in 86 overs and in Melbourne South Africa lasted 137.3 overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Australia are bidding for a series clean sweep to seal a place in the World Test Championship final in London in June.<\/p>\r\n\r\n