GRAEME SMITH made his 18th Test hundred to give South Africa a genuine chance of victory against Australia in Perth. On a rain-interrupted day at the Waca ground, the visitors bowled Australia out for 319 just before lunch, after Brad Haddin had fallen six short of posting a second Test hundred in consecutive matches. That left the Proteas with 414 to win over five sessions.

The South Africans lost Neil McKenzie in the 15th over but Smith’s century and an 11th Test half- century from Hashim Amla helped them finish the fourth day on 227 for three, needing 187 to win with seven wickets in hand.

Less than a week after India scored 387 to beat England by six wickets in Chennai for the fourth-highest fourth-innings run chase in Test cricket, victory for South Africa would see them complete the second-highest chase, only four runs behind the record set by West Indies against Australia at St John’s in Antigua in 2003.

That they are in such a position is mainly due to an assured 153-run second- wicket partnership between Smith and Amla. They looked under little threat from off-spinner Jason Krejza and young fast bowler Peter Siddle. At 172 for one late in the final session, the Proteas appeared set to overtake the target with ease on day five.

Only when Mitchell Johnson, who had already taken eight wickets in the first innings, and Brett Lee were brought back into the attack did the balance tilt in Australia’s favour 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 Smith in front for 108 from 147 balls.

Amla appeared untroubled and had made 53 when Lee finally took a well-deserved first wicket for the match, three overs later. Having bounced Amla the ball before, Lee followed it up with a fuller delivery that seamed slightly, caught a slight edge and carried through to wicketkeeper Haddin. Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers — joint top-scorer in the first innings with 63 — defied Lee and Johnson to ensure there were no further wickets lost. Kallis even smashed Siddle for 13 off his 13th over and Krejza’s 15th over went for nine as play drew to a close.

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. Krejza was eventually out to another brilliant diving catch by de Villiers at point off Kallis, who claimed his best figures against Australia. An aggressive 21 by Johnson, during which he broke his bat, ended when he edged Morne Morkel to Kallis at first slip. The entrance of No 11 Siddle was the cue for Haddin to go on the attack.

Showing the same aggression as predecessor Adam Gilchrist, the Australian keeper smashed Paul Harris for 16 runs in an over just before lunch, but was stumped off the last ball as he charged down the pitch in an attempt to score his third six for the over and bring up his century.

Scoreboard

(Perth; fourth day of five): South Africa, with seven second-innings wickets in hand, need 187 runs to beat Australia

Australia: First Innings 375 (Katich 83, Clarke 62, Symonds 57; Ntini 4-72)

Second Innings (o/nt 228-7)
M L Hayden c & b Steyn 4
S M Katich c Boucher b Kallis 37
*R T Ponting c Boucher b Harris 32
M E K Hussey b Ntini 8
M J Clarke c Kallis b Steyn 25
A Symonds c Smith b Harris 37
†B J Haddin st Boucher b Harris 94
B Lee c de Villiers b Kallis 5
J J Krejza c de Villiers b Kallis 32
M G Johnson c Kallis b Morkel 21
P M Siddle not out 4
Extras (b 4, lb 7, w 2, nb 7) 20
Total (97 overs) 319

Fall: 1-25, 2-59, 3-88, 4-88, 5-148, 6-157, 7-162, 8-241, 9-278

Bowling: Steyn 19-3-81-2; Ntini 21-2-76-1; Harris 27-3-85-3; Kallis 14-4-24-3; Morkel 16-4-42-1

South Africa: First Innings 281 (De Villiers 63, Kallis 63; Johnson 8-61)

Second Innings
*G C Smith lbw b Johnson 108
N D McKenzie c Haddin b Johnson 10
H M Amla c Haddin b Lee 53
J H Kallis not out 33
A B de Villiers not out 11
Extras (b 4, lb 5, w 1, nb 2) 12
Total (3 wkts; 64 overs) 227

To Bat: J P Duminy, †M V Boucher, M Morkel, M Ntini, D W Steyn and P L Harris

Fall: 1-19, 2-172, 3-179

Bowling: Lee 16-3-40-1; Johnson 19-3-56-2; Siddle 14-0-56-0; Krejza 15-1-66-0

Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and E A R de Silva (Sri Lanka)