(REUTERS) – SOUTH Africa opener Dean Elgar dropped anchor to steer his side to 134 for three in their second innings at the close of the third day of the fourth and final test against Australia on Sunday, giving the hosts a daunting lead of 401 runs.

Elgar amassed 39 from 158 balls in a patient knock that has been the glue for South Africa’s second innings, as they look to build an unassailable lead with two full days remaining at the Wanderers.

Australia need victory to avoid a first series defeat in South Africa since 1970, but have been rocked by the ball-tampering scandal that saw former captain Steve Smith, his deputy David Warner and batsman Cameron Bancroft being sent home and slapped with hefty bans after the third test in Cape Town.

Elgar will resume on the fourth morning, with his captain Faf du Plessis on 34, as the pair look to increase the lead towards the 500-run mark.
Scorecard

South Africa 1st innings 488 all out

Australia 1st innings
Matthew Renshaw c Quinton de Kock b Vernon Philander 8
Joe Burns c Faf du Plessis b Kagiso Rabada 4
Usman Khawaja c Quinton de Kock b Vernon Philander 53
Peter Handscomb b Vernon Philander 0
Shaun Marsh c AB de Villiers b Keshav Maharaj 16
Mitchell Marsh b Morne Morkel 4
Tim Paine c Dean Elgar b Kagiso Rabada 62
Pat Cummins lbw Keshav Maharaj 50
Nathan Lyon c Dean Elgar b Kagiso Rabada 8
Chadd Sayers c Hashim Amla b Keshav Maharaj 0
Josh Hazlewood Not Out 1
Extras 3b 9lb 3nb 0pen 0w 15
Total (70.0 overs) 221 all out
Fall of Wickets : 1-10 Burns, 2-34 Renshaw, 3-38 Handscomb, 4-90 Khawaja, 5-96 Marsh, 6-96 Marsh, 7-195 Cummins, 8-206 Lyon, 9-207 Sayers, 10-221 Paine

Bowling Ov Md Rn Wk Econ Ex
Vernon Philander 18 8 30 3 1.67
Kagiso Rabada 19 7 53 3 2.79 1nb
Morne Morkel 12.2 3 34 1 2.76 2nb
Keshav Maharaj 20 3 92 3 4.60
Aiden Markram 0.4 0 0 0 0.00

South Africa 2nd innings
Aiden Markram c Peter Handscomb b Pat Cummins 37
Dean Elgar Not Out 39
Hashim Amla c Mitchell Marsh b Nathan Lyon 16
AB de Villiers c Tim Paine b Pat Cummins 6
Faf du Plessis Not Out 34
Extras 0b 2lb 0nb 0pen 0w 2
Total (56.0 overs) 134-3
Fall of Wickets : 1-54 Markram, 2-79 Amla, 3-94 de Villiers
To Bat : Bavuma, de Kock, Philander, Maharaj, Rabada, Morkel

Bowling Ov Md Rn Wk Econ Ex
Josh Hazlewood 13 5 20 0 1.54
Chadd Sayers 8 2 33 0 4.12
Nathan Lyon 25 11 44 1 1.76
Pat Cummins 10 2 35 2 3.50