Johannesburg – The Proteas are building a massive lead against Australia in the fourth and final Test at the Wanderers and will certainly beat their rivals in a series on home soil for the first time since re-admission.

LIVE: SA v Australia – 4th Test, Day 3

At tea on day three, South Africa were 58/1 with Dean Elgar (16*) and Hashim Amla (4*) at the wicket. 

The hosts lead by 325.

The only wicket to fall was that of Aiden Markram, who edged to second slip off the bowling of Pat Cummins to be dismissed for 37. 

In the process, Markram became the second fastest South African to 1 000 Test runs. The 23-year-old took 18 innings to get to that milestone, one more than Graeme Smith.

Stand-in skipper Tim Paine had given the hosts a boost with a well-played 62 in Australia’s first innings.

Following the Newlands ball-tampering incident that has left the Aussies in tatters, Paine spoke in the build-up to the fourth Test about the need to earn back the respect of the public back home. 

The time had come, he said, to put a stop to the hard-nosed, win at all costs culture that has accompanied Australian cricket for most of the modern era. 

He wants the team to play the game in a good spirit, but to be as competitive as ever. 

Paine’s resilience with the bat on Sunday morning was the perfect advertisement for just that. 

Australia are still miles behind in the Test and have no way of saving the series, but they can at least leave with their heads held high. 

The visitors were eventually all out for 221, with Paine the last man to fall for 62. 

South African captain Faf du Plessis then decided not to enforce the follow-on, and the Proteas started their second innings with a lead of 267.

Paine had shared a 99-run partnership with Pat Cummins (50), who carded his maiden Test half-century, in the first session.

The breakthrough came with about 10 minutes left of the morning session, when Keshav Maharaj (3/92) had a sweeping Cummins out LBW. 

South Africa picked up the last three wickets quickly after lunch. 

Kagiso Rabada (3/53) had Nathan Lyon (8) caught by Dean Elgar at mid-off before Maharaj had debutant Chad Sayers (0) snapped up by Hashim Amla at backward point. 

Paine was the last man out as he looked to clear the ropes against Rabada. The ball went a mile in the air, and Elgar pulled off a stunning diving catch when he looked to have no chance of getting to the ball.