Australia made a steady start to their second innings against South Africa late yesterday in the third Test, but on 102 for two wickets at the close, were still 340 runs behind with two days to play.

At the wicket were opener Simon Katich on 44 and Michael Hussey on 13. The touring side faces a tough battle to make South Africa bat again, having gone 442 runs behind in the first innings earlier in the day.

Australia started briskly in their second innings with Katich and Phillip Hughes adding 57 for the first wicket in 57 minutes.

Hughes' 32 included four fours, while Katich, top-scorer in the first innings with 55, had hit three fours and a six in his 150-minute knock of 44. Hughes fell to Paul Harris, the second time in the match the spinner had taken the opener's wicket in his first over of the innings. This time Hughes edged Harris' third ball to Jacques Kallis at slip.

Aussie captain Ricky Ponting (12) went caught behind for the second time in the match, this time off Dale Steyn. Three balls earlier, Harris had claimed a catch off Ponting low down in the gully, but TV umpire Billy Bowden ruled it not out.

Extended lead

Earlier, South Africa unleashed an assault on Australia's bowling attack to extend their first-innings lead to 442 runs. The Proteas were dismissed for 651 at tea on the third day at Newlands, with A.B. de Villiers becoming the third century-maker in their first innings.

De Villiers was in a belligerent mood after reaching his second hundred of the series, following his 104 in the first Test, hitting 25 runs in one over off seamer Andrew McDonald, including four leg-side sixes off the first four balls on his way to scoring 163.

The world record for a Test over is 28 runs, scored by former West Indian batsman Brian Lara off South African spinner Robin Peterson at the Wanderers in 2004.

De Villiers smashed seven sixes, a South African record, and 12 fours. He was eventually caught by McDonald on the midwicket boundary after facing 196 balls in making his ninth century in Tests.

South Africa's other century-makers were Ashwell Prince (150) and Kallis (102).

De Villiers also guided South Africa to their highest score at Newlands, beating their 620 against Pakistan in January 2003.

On that occasion, Herschelle Gibbs (228) and Graeme Smith (151) added 368 for the first wicket.