South Africa seek unlikely win

Graeme Smith's century gave South Africa a great start to their huge run chase

A composed century from skipper Graeme Smith has put South Africa within range of winning the first Test against Australia, although the tourists will need to complete the second highest run chase in history to do it.

On a stormy, rain-interrupted day at the WACA, where play stretched deep into the evening, South Africa bowled Australia out for 319 on the stroke of lunch, top scorer Brad Haddin reaching 94 to set the Proteas 414 to win the Test over five sessions.

The South Africans lost Neil McKenzie early in the innings for 10, completing a poor Test for the opener who only managed two in his first innings.

But Smith's hundred, and a half-century for Hashim Amla helped the Proteas finish on 227 for three, needing 187 to win with seven wickets in hand with a day left.

Smith and Amla combined for 163 runs, the pair barely presenting a chance to the Australians as they fended off Peter Siddle and Jason Krejza with ease, moving along to 172 for one late in the final session.

But the re-introduction of spearheads Brett Lee (1-40) and Mitchell Johnson (2-56) into the attack changed the complexion of this match once again.

After taking McKenzie's wicket in the first hour, Johnson claimed his second scalp of the innings and his 10th of the match when he trapped a fatigued-looking Smith in front on 108 with a slower ball that the skipper attempted to flick off his pads.

Despite having taken a secondary role in the partnership, Amla appeared untroubled by the Australian attack as he steadily compiled 53 runs, using his trademark flicks to great effect.

But Lee finally took a well-deserved first wicket for the match when he had Amla caught behind three overs after Smith departed.

Having bowled a bouncer at the elegant number three batsman, Lee followed it up with a fuller delivery that seamed slightly off the deck, earning the bowler a slight edge that carried through to Haddin after Amla attempted to play it off the crease.

Mitchell Johnson had 10 wickets in the match with two second-innings WACA scalps

It was the very least Lee deserved for an intimidating performance, especially early in the innings, where he defied a gusty wind to bowl with venom, pinning down the South African openers for seven overs as he beat the bat and threatened with virtually every ball.

But Jacques Kallis (33 not out) and AB de Villiers (11 no) - the Proteas' top scorers in the first innings with 63 - defied Lee and Johnson and saw them off as a combination of the rain delays and a slow over rate took play past eight pm.

As the shadows lengthened, Kallis gave Siddle and Krejza something to think of overnight, Kallis smashing the Victorian paceman for 13 in his 13th over, while Krejza's 15th over went for nine.

If they reach the target, the Proteas will just fall just short of the highest run chase in Test history, an accolade earned by the West Indies in 2002-03 when they successfully chased down 418 runs to win in Port of Spain.

Earlier in the day, Haddin and Krejza posted a 79-run eighth-wicket partnership, helping Australia recover from 162 for seven late on the third day.

Having slumped to that position, Australia's tail wagged impressively, as the last three wickets fell for 157 runs.

Krejza was out to another brilliant diving catch by de Villiers at point off Kallis (3-24), the batsman enjoying a sensational match in the field having taken memorable catches to remove Lee in this innings and Mike Hussey on the first day.

A freewheeling Johnson wielded his bat with such power that he broke it in compiling 21 runs before edging Morne Morkel (1-42) to Kallis at first slip, while the unbeaten Peter Siddle looked solid in defence as Haddin attacked down the other end.

Showing shades of Adam Gilchrist in the last 10 minutes before lunch, Haddin smashed Paul Harris for 16 runs before being stumped off the last ball of the spinner's over as he charged down the pitch in an effort to score his third six for the over and earn consecutive centuries in two Tests.