After a shocking start, a bad call at the toss compounded by a wayward bowling performance across the first two hours, Australia roared back into the Test in the afternoon.
They were helped by some careless South African batting as their happy hookers allowed a position of 203-1 to become 232-6.
Aiden Markram, David Bedingham and Wiaan Mulder were all out attempting to take on the short balls – for 78, 50 and nought respectively.
On 95, opener Marques Ackerman ran past one from Nathan Lyon with the glory of a first Protea century in his second Test in his sights and captain Temba Bavuma was undone by a straight ball from Lyon.
Either side of a knock of 179 last week, Bavuma has got out to off-spin three times in three innings – all for single-figure scores.
And while Australia stuck to their task in the afternoon, fielding well and drying up the scoring after 140 runs were leaked at more than four runs per over in the first session, most impressive was the way Mitchell Starc thundered in the day’s final moments.
At 327-6, South Africa could yet have finished this enthralling day – one fitting of a series decider from which the winner will finish the series on top of the rankings – in the ascendancy.
Instead, Starc took four wickets in six deliveries with the new ball, first prising out Ryan Rickelton for 42 and Marco Jansen 52.
He targeted pads and stumps, bowled Gerald Coetzee and pinned Kagiso Rabada lbw for ducks. South Africa were 329 all out.
Somehow, after everything, if either side is happy, it is Australia.
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