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Tea Australia 163 and 7 for 204 (Johnson 3*, Hastings 2*) need another 428 runs to beat South Africa 225 and 569
Ricky Ponting unfurled one of his trademark pull shots but was dismissed soon after for 8 © Getty Images
Ricky Ponting's emotional last appearance at the Test match batting crease - fittingly afforded a guard of honour by Graeme Smith - could not obscure the fact that this match is hurtling towards a dominant victory for South Africa. The visitors claimed seven wickets in the first two sessions while keeping the batsmen pinned down with an exemplary display, leaving Australia a forlorn 7 for 204 at tea in pursuit of their theoretical target of 632.
Ponting moved off nought with a regal pull shot from the bowling of Morne Morkel, but exited when trying to force Robin Peterson off the back foot through cover, Jacques Kallis taking a smart catch at slip. He walked from the field briskly, but turned to wave his bat to the WACA ground crowd one last time, as the ground's big screen was emblazoned with the words 'Thanks Ricky'.
The Ponting episode was a brief interlude in a day characterised by South Africa's unrelenting attack on the batsmen. Only the obdurate Ed Cowan stood his ground for any length of time, but even he had reason to curse the manner of his departure, hooking at Dale Steyn and being taken at deep square leg.
Others were out in similarly cavalier manner without applying themselves for anywhere near as long, as Steyn, Vernon Philander, Morkel and Peterson benefited from the pressure applied by their bowling and the match scenario. Peterson's left-arm spin was a particular delight for the visitors, drift, turn and bounce perhaps earning him a more permanent place in this South African side ahead of the looser leg breaks of Imran Tahir.
Any remote hopes Australia had of producing something miraculous were more or less negated by the day's second ball. Philander had beaten Cowan outside off stump a few times on the third evening with balls seaming away, but this time Warner snicked a similar delivery low to an exultant Smith at first slip.
Watson and Cowan persisted for a time against bowling that was never less than exacting, their few angry shots standing out against mainly stony defence. Watson's quest to become a Test No. 3 of the required thoroughness is well-known, but he was to fall short again, shunted out by Morkel's hostility. First a bouncer singed the batsman's nose with a bouncer the ball before coxing an edge to slip
That brought Ponting to the crease for what many hoped would be a major score. Instead Peterson would deceive the former captain with extra bounce, drawing one of the game's most decorated career's to a hasty conclusion. Clarke and Cowan resumed after lunch with an aggressive mindset, but it would prove the undoing of both.
Cowan's hook at Steyn allowed Dean Elgar the first positive contribution of his debut as he tumbled to take the catch. Clarke was doubled over in pain when Philander struck him a stinging blow in the groin, and after a delay he resumed with seemingly little intention of knuckling down for the day. There were some attractive strokes, but it was no great surprise when Clarke jumped down the wicket to a beautifully teasing delivery from Peterson to be beaten in flight and spin and stumped by a distance.
Hussey's match concluded when he was nipped out from around the wicket for the second time in the match, and Matthew Wade's vain attempt to slog Peterson ended with a sharp catch at short midwicket. The end is nigh.
Ricky Ponting unfurled one of his trademark pull shots but was dismissed soon after for 8 © Getty Images
Ricky Ponting's emotional last appearance at the Test match batting crease - fittingly afforded a guard of honour by Graeme Smith - could not obscure the fact that this match is hurtling towards a dominant victory for South Africa. The visitors claimed seven wickets in the first two sessions while keeping the batsmen pinned down with an exemplary display, leaving Australia a forlorn 7 for 204 at tea in pursuit of their theoretical target of 632.
Ponting moved off nought with a regal pull shot from the bowling of Morne Morkel, but exited when trying to force Robin Peterson off the back foot through cover, Jacques Kallis taking a smart catch at slip. He walked from the field briskly, but turned to wave his bat to the WACA ground crowd one last time, as the ground's big screen was emblazoned with the words 'Thanks Ricky'.
The Ponting episode was a brief interlude in a day characterised by South Africa's unrelenting attack on the batsmen. Only the obdurate Ed Cowan stood his ground for any length of time, but even he had reason to curse the manner of his departure, hooking at Dale Steyn and being taken at deep square leg.
Others were out in similarly cavalier manner without applying themselves for anywhere near as long, as Steyn, Vernon Philander, Morkel and Peterson benefited from the pressure applied by their bowling and the match scenario. Peterson's left-arm spin was a particular delight for the visitors, drift, turn and bounce perhaps earning him a more permanent place in this South African side ahead of the looser leg breaks of Imran Tahir.
Any remote hopes Australia had of producing something miraculous were more or less negated by the day's second ball. Philander had beaten Cowan outside off stump a few times on the third evening with balls seaming away, but this time Warner snicked a similar delivery low to an exultant Smith at first slip.
Watson and Cowan persisted for a time against bowling that was never less than exacting, their few angry shots standing out against mainly stony defence. Watson's quest to become a Test No. 3 of the required thoroughness is well-known, but he was to fall short again, shunted out by Morkel's hostility. First a bouncer singed the batsman's nose with a bouncer the ball before coxing an edge to slip
That brought Ponting to the crease for what many hoped would be a major score. Instead Peterson would deceive the former captain with extra bounce, drawing one of the game's most decorated career's to a hasty conclusion. Clarke and Cowan resumed after lunch with an aggressive mindset, but it would prove the undoing of both.
Cowan's hook at Steyn allowed Dean Elgar the first positive contribution of his debut as he tumbled to take the catch. Clarke was doubled over in pain when Philander struck him a stinging blow in the groin, and after a delay he resumed with seemingly little intention of knuckling down for the day. There were some attractive strokes, but it was no great surprise when Clarke jumped down the wicket to a beautifully teasing delivery from Peterson to be beaten in flight and spin and stumped by a distance.
Hussey's match concluded when he was nipped out from around the wicket for the second time in the match, and Matthew Wade's vain attempt to slog Peterson ended with a sharp catch at short midwicket. The end is nigh.