The century that Steve Waugh craved on this his 100th Test appearance proved just out of reach, but his brother Mark reached three figures for the first time in 12 Tests as the twins manoeuvred Australia into a match-winning position in this second Test. They lead by 105 runs with one wicket and two days remaining.
Shane Warne must be licking his twirling fingers in anticipation of applying the final coup de grace on a turning pitch. Warne took the last five South African wickets in their first innings on Saturday morning with some marvellously incisive wrist spin, going past McDermott to become the second highest Australian wicket-taker in Tests. He now stands only 62 behind Dennis Lillee's total of 355.
With Allan Donald off colour on Saturday with ankle and tendon problems and Paul Adams and Pat Symcox unable to obtain as much turn as Warne, South Africa failed to make the necessary early inroads into the Australian batting. Wickets tended to fall to innocuous deliveries - Taylor being out cutting and Blewett bowled off inside edge and back leg.
Still, South Africa were very much in the game when the Waughs joined forces at 103 for three with just over an hour of play remaining on Saturday. But by the time both were dismissed shortly before tea yesterday, Australia were 317 for five and in command.
Well though they played, the pair should never have been allowed to underpin such a potentially decisive lead on a turning pitch. For that, Hanse Cronje must shoulder much of the blame. for some inexplicable use of his bowling resources, particularly Donald.
Not until 45 minutes after the start of play yesterday, with another 36 crucial runs added to their overnight score, did Cronje bring on either Donald or Shaun Pollock. True, the new ball was still 13 overs away at the start, but Symcox and Brian McMillan were just the bowlers the Waughs would have wanted to face.
Donald's three or four overs of the day, the new ball having been taken, were among the most hostile scene at the SCG in recent years. No longer in physical discomfort after a painkilling injection, Donald peppered the bodies of both Waughs with lightning quick, rising deliveries.
Cronje's failure immediately to post a short leg or a leg gulley almost certainly cost him the wicket of Steve, then 35, although Mark fell at the other end to Pollock. By this time, he had reached his 100 off 184 balls with his 12th four, many of them delightful flicks and clips off his legs.
Pollock had probed consistently and would have removed the elder Waugh for 45 had Dave Richardson not been wrong-footed when an edge flew for four between him and first slip. That miss could have been much less significant had Cronje not failed to bring Donald back until 80 minutes after lunch, during which time the captain unsuccessfully tried to frustrate the batsmen out. In only his second over back, Donald bowled Waugh with a ripper that held its line to hit off stump. A 26,000 crowd applauded him all the way back to the pavilion.
Simcox and Adams at last got into the game by having Michael Bevan and Ricky Ponting caught off a glove and leading edge respectively. Ponting's 62 was typically positive, containing some classical straight driving.
Donald returned after tea to deliver another top-class spell, bowling Paul Reiffel off an under edge. But Warne and Ian Healy added 28 crucial runs before Pollock had Warne lbw. By then Warne had passed 2,000 first-class runs, but it should be his wickets that decide this game.
