Hayden concern for Nielsen

Matthew Hayden scored 77 against India at Nagpur but has had lean returns since

Australia coach Tim Nielsen has admitted time is running out for embattled opener Matthew Hayden following his latest failure with the bat in the first Test against South Africa today.

Hayden’s place at the top of the order has increasingly been called into question during the current Australian summer, during which the Queenslander has managed just 46 runs in three Tests at an average of just 11.5.

The 37-year-old left-hander’s luck was out today as he was harshly given out caught and bowled by Dale Steyn for just four.

Replays showed the ball ballooned back to Steyn off Hayden’s pad, although the controversial dismissal could not disguise the fact Hayden had struggled, taking 37 minutes to get off the mark while also surviving a couple of close shouts for lbw.

Nielsen attempted to put a brave face on Hayden’s current plight but, with key tours to South Africa and England on the horizon, the coach admitted his place in those squads could be in doubt.

“It was a shame he didn't get away today,” Nielsen said. “He'd really like some runs - there's no doubt about that - and we'd all like him to get some runs for obvious reasons.

“He's had six or seven Tests now and he's only got a couple of fifties which for Haydos is unheard of.

“In the end, there is doubt created by the fact he hasn't had the success he'd like; there is doubt created by the fact he hasn't had a hundred in a few Tests; there is doubt created by the fact people are speculating about his future.

“He knows he wants to play better and keep getting better results than he is at the moment and I suppose at the end of this season we'll sit down and see where he's at.

Phillip Hughes is among those who are putting pressure on Hayden for his opening spot

“It'll make it more difficult if his scores aren't as consistent as he'd like them to be but at the moment we've just got to be patient and understand that the game is the game.”

With Victoria opener Chris Rogers and 20-year-old New South Wales prodigy Phillip Hughes in sparkling form in the Sheffield Shield, a decision on Hayden's future appears to be coming sooner rather than later.

Australia finished the the third day’s play at the WACA as favourites to win the Test, thanks largely to an unbroken 66-run stand for the eighth wicket between Brad Haddin (39 not out) and Jason Krejza (28 not out).

The pair rescued the home side from 162 for seven to ensure they reached stumps with a lead of 322.

South Africa had earlier again made light work of the Australia top order, aided by loose shots from Michael Clarke and Andrew Symonds, to haul themselves back into the game.

And while Haddin and Krejza’s late rally helped re-establish the hosts as favourites to win the Test, South Africa batsman AB de Villiers believes his side can still grab an improbable win on a wicket that is showing only some signs of wear.

“It's pretty even at the moment, we've had an awesome day,” de Villiers said.

"I think momentum was behind us, we slipped a little bit towards the last half an hour but there wasn't a lot in the ball or the wicket in the last half an hour.

“We've got a few overs to go until the new ball and hopefully we can take three wickets in the morning.”

He added: “The wicket looks alright at the moment. It's very slow, though, and there's a lot of patches of grass around which gives you that pace too so it depends which patch it hits.

“It's two-paced which makes it very difficult. It's not an easy wicket to bat on; it's also not an easy wicket to bowl on when the batter gets in so it's a bit of both worlds."