(Reuters) – AUSTRALIA moved one wicket from victory in the first test against South Africa on Sunday after Mitchell Starc’s swing bowling decimated the hosts’ lower order and dampened their hopes of an unlikely recovery.

South Africa were 293-9 at the close of the fourth day, still 123 runs adrift of Australia, who will return on Monday to wrap up what appears an inevitable victory and a 1-0 lead in the four-match series.

South Africa’s opener Aiden Markram provided some stout resistance, scoring 143 runs, while Quinton de Kock’s unbeaten 81 also helped frustrate the visitors as South Africa recovered from a horrid start to their second innings.
Australia looked to be heading to an easy win when they set South Africa 417 for victory before taking four key home wickets for just 49 runs before lunch as they devastated the home team’s top order.

Dean Elgar was the first to go for nine before Josh Hazlewood claimed the wicket of Hashim Amla — the sixth time he has done so in the last four tests between the two countries.
AB de Villiers was run out after facing a single ball and then captain Faf du Plessis scored only four before having his stumps knocked out of the ground by Pat Cummins.

Scoreboard
Australia 1st innings 351 all out
South Africa 1st innings 162 all out
Australia 2nd innings 227 all out

South Africa 2nd innings
Aiden Markram c Tim Paine b Mitchell Marsh 143
Dean Elgar c Tim Paine b Mitchell Starc 9
Hashim Amla lbw Josh Hazlewood 8
AB de Villiers Run Out David Warner 0
Faf du Plessis b Pat Cummins 4
Theunis de Bruyn c Tim Paine b Josh Hazlewood 36
Quinton de Kock Not Out 81
Vernon Philander c Tim Paine b Mitchell Starc 6
Keshav Maharaj b Mitchell Starc 0
Kagiso Rabada b Mitchell Starc 0
Morne Morkel Not Out 0
Extras 2b 3lb 1nb 0pen 0w 6
Total (89.0 overs) 293-9
Fall of Wickets : 1-29 Elgar, 2-39 Amla, 3-39 de Villiers, 4-49 du Plessis, 5-136 de Bruyn, 6-283 Markram, 7-290 Philander, 8-290 Maharaj, 9-290 Rabada

Bowling Ov Md Rn Wk Econ Ex
Mitchell Starc 16 1 74 4 4.62 1nb
Josh Hazlewood 14 1 57 2 4.07
Nathan Lyon 32 7 86 0 2.69
Pat Cummins 15 3 47 1 3.13
Mitchell Marsh 7 2 21 1 3.00
Steven Smith 5 3 3 0 0.60

South Africa trail Australia by 123 runs with 1 wicket remaining