Ricky Ponting celebrates a half century against South Africa. Photo / AP
Ricky Ponting hit an unbeaten 54 to steer Australia to 142-3 at stumps on day four of the second and final test against South Africa on Sunday, leaving a captivating series in the balance ahead of the final day at Wanderers.
Ponting collected his first score of the series in a priceless 122-run partnership with Usman Khawaja (65) to give Australia real hope of chasing down the 310 it requires to win the test and save a series where it trails 1-0.
Australia needs another 168 runs to earn a record-breaking victory that would also keep a 41-year unbeaten record in South Africa.
If the tourists salvage a 1-1 draw on Monday, it would be the highest fourth-innings total to win a test at the ground. Australia set the current record when it made 294 to win here in 2006.
"I think we've got ourselves in a brilliant position,'' Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins said. "Obviously after a long day yesterday today has been a great day for us and I think if we put in a good couple of hours tomorrow we're in the box seat.
"The game is in the balance right now but we've got ourselves back into it and with someone like Ricky there at the moment, who looks pretty settled, it's an exciting set up for tomorrow.''
Khawaja and the under-pressure Ponting showed real grit to lift Australia from 19-2 in its second innings before a late breakthrough from legspinner Imran Tahir to remove Khawaja in the day's last over.
New captain Michael Clarke was 1 not out alongside Ponting when the players went off for bad light one ball later.
Ponting failed in his three previous innings in the series, putting the 36-year-old batsman and former captain's future in the Australian team in doubt.
He responded with his first test half-century since the Ashes series at the beginning of the year and now holds the key to Australia's push for an unlikely series-rescuing win on the last day in Johannesburg.
South Africa needs seven wickets or a draw to earn its own piece of history having not beaten Australia in a home test series since 1970.
"It's evenly balanced. If we pick up an early wicket tomorrow morning we will put a lot of pressure on them,'' South Africa batsman Hashim Amla said. "But you would rather be in our change rooms than theirs.
"We know Ricky's record speaks for itself, he was 50 not out and hopefully we can dent it tomorrow. He batted well.''
Teenager Cummins earlier took 6-79 on his debut as South Africa was bowled out for 339 in its second innings.
South Africa's 300-plus lead built on a second century in successive matches by Amla still looked enough to ensure its first home win over Australia since being readmitted to international cricket.
Playing his first test and just fourth first-class match, the 18-year-old Cummins dismissed AB de Villiers for 73 early on Sunday to break a 147-run partnership with Amla (105) and take Cummins' innings return to three wickets.
The right-arm paceman then ripped out Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel with the first two balls after lunch for his five-wicket haul, becoming the youngest Australian to take five in a test innings.
He ended South Africa's innings with the wicket of Dale Steyn for six in the innings and a match total of 7-117.
"It's surreal to be overseas playing cricket for Australia,'' said Cummins, who also became the second youngest player to take six wickets in a test innings. "To be in the position where we can win a game is certainly special as well.''
Steyn's stubborn 41 from No. 9 still pushed South Africa to a lead of 309.
The South African fast bowler shared a 48-run partnership with Philander in the day's first session and added 25 for the last wicket with Tahir in a hectic five overs after lunch as South Africa went well ahead despite Cummins' outstanding effort.
Ponting and newcomer Khawaja, playing in his fourth test, made sure the seesaw series swung one more time, however.
Ponting hit six fours in his 57th test 50 and Khawaja had eight boundaries and a six in his maiden half-century, saving Australia from a precarious position after Philander rattled the tourists inside three overs of their chase.
Philander bowled Shane Watson second ball of the innings and had Phillip Hughes caught in the slips for 11 in his next over, before the century stand by one of Australia's longtime greats and one if its newest talents gave the tourists hope.
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