THIRD TEST:

PROTEAS ON TARGET TO SET AUSSIES HUGE TARGET

SOUTH Africa has heaped further misery on a subdued Australia, building a 389-run lead at lunch on day four of the Test that has been marred by the tourists’ attempt to cheat in Cape Town.

The Proteas reached 7-333 at lunch last night, when Tim Paine led a team reeling from the ball-tampering bombshell that threatens to end Steve Smith’s captaincy. Smith and vice-captain David Warner had both stood down from their leadership posts for the rest of the third Test. Their future will be determined by a Cricket Australia investigation into the mess.

On the park, South Africa is in the box seat to win at Newlands and take a 2-1 series lead.

The highest successful fourth-innings chase in Test history remains the 418 scored by West Indies to beat Australia in 2003.

For Australian cricket, the current series will always be remembered for one of the team’s darkest hours after Smith confessed that the leadership group conspired to illegally use tape in the game.

For South Africa it is on track to be a historic series for more positive reasons.

The host is bidding for its first home Test series win over Australia since the fall of apartheid.

Australia was booed when the players walked on to the field last night. They lacked energy, understandable given how little sleep so many players would have had overnight.

Paine regularly broke the subdued silence, offering his bowlers encouragement — especially Nathan Lyon, who is one wicket away from his 300th Test scalp. Vernon Philander was 39 not out. Philander was on two when Josh Hazlewood spilled a catch on the rope, resulting in a six.

AB de Villiers was out edging to Hazlewood, falling for 63, while Quinton de Kock was caught behind for 65. Both wickets were greeted with little celebration or fanfare, reflecting the damage that Smith and Warner have done in their search for an illegal advantage.