Australia recovered after losing early wickets to stretch their lead to 322 runs over South Africa on day three of the first Test at the WACA Ground in Perth on Friday.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin, along with Jason Krejza added an unbeaten 66 runs for the eighth wicket after the hosts had slipped to 162-7, triggered by accurate bowling from the South Africans. Haddin remained not out on 39 while Krejza was unbeaten on 28 when the stumps were drawn.
South Africa earlier took their first innings total to 281 before being bowled out as Australia's left-arm pacer Mitchell Johnson finished with career-best figures of 8-61, also handing his side a big 94-run lead.
The Aussies, however, started poorly when Dale Steyn extended Matthew Hayden's horror run with the bat, having him caught and bowled for four. Simon Katich, who scored a valuable 83 in the first innings also couldn't last long as Jacques Kallis had him caught behind for 37.
Ricky Ponting failed to capitalise on the start he got when spinner Paul Harris accounted for the Australian captain for 32, before Makhaya Ntini ended Mike Hussey's stay for eight, a rare failure for Mr Cricket in both innings of a Test.
The Aussies continued to lose wickets at regular intervals as Andrew Symonds and Michael Clarke also fell after getting starts, while Harris' second wicket to remove Brett Lee sounded alarm bells for the home side as they were reeling on 162-7.
But Haddin and Krejza shored Australia with an invaluable partnership, helping them extend their lead which at a point didn't seem like crossing the 300-run mark.
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