Marques Ackerman and Temba Bavuma led SA's fightback on day three of the Newlands Test, but Australia struck late enough to leave the Proteas effectively 40/4 after closing on 140/4, with a slender advantage and six wickets in hand.

Ackerman made 62 from 80 balls and Bavuma 35 from 115 as they added 64 for the third wicket, helping SA recover from 31/2 and wipe out Australia's 100-run first-innings lead.

Matthew Breetzke and Ryan Rickelton survived the final over to remain unbeaten on 19 and eight, respectively.

SA's position is precarious despite the lead.

They have only six wickets remaining and still need to build a substantial fourth-innings target, with Australia's attack having already removed Ackerman and Bavuma after their important partnership.

Australia had started the morning on 330/4, with Josh Inglis and Alex Carey having already added 145 for the fifth wicket.

They extended that stand to 185 before SA finally found the breakthrough they needed.

Inglis completed his second Test century from 132 balls but fell for 102 soon afterwards when he edged Simon Harmer through to wicketkeeper Rickelton.

It ended an innings that had put Australia firmly in control and broke a partnership that had frustrated the Proteas for much of the previous day.

Harmer struck again four overs later to remove Carey for 80, with Aiden Markram taking the catch at slip.

The double breakthrough left Australia 379/6 and changed the momentum of the innings.

The Australian lower order offered resistance, but SA continued to chip away.

Pat Cummins was trapped lbw by Kagiso Rabada for a duck before Mitchell Starc was caught behind off Gerald Coetzee for 11.

Australia went to lunch on 411/8, with Cooper Connolly on 20 and Nathan Lyon on one, before SA wrapped up the innings shortly after the interval.

Wiaan Mulder removed Lyon for one, caught by Harmer, while Marco Jansen completed his three-wicket haul by taking a return catch to dismiss Connolly for 29.

Australia were all out for 429 in 125.1 overs, giving them a 100-run first-innings lead.

Harmer finished with four wickets for 104, while Jansen claimed three for 60.

SA's reply began badly as Markram fell for one in the third over, caught by Travis Head off Starc, before David Bedingham followed for 11, caught by Lyon off Josh Hazlewood.

At 31/2, the hosts were still 69 runs behind.

Ackerman and Bavuma then began the rebuilding job. The left hander, who had made 95 in the first innings, reached his second half-century of the match from 64 balls, while Bavuma absorbed pressure at the other end.

Their 64-run stand carried SA beyond Australia's total before Starc removed Ackerman for 62, caught by Cameron Green.

Bavuma battled on but was bowled by Lyon for 35 with the final ball of the 46th over.

Breetzke and Rickelton then survived the last delivery to take SA to 140/4.

The hosts will resume on Friday with a 40-run lead, but with Australia having already taken four wickets, the balance of the match remains finely poised.

The Herald