Starc scored a potential match-winning 58 as Australia looked to have put the contest beyond an increasingly deflated SA side, who had high hopes of wrapping up the tail on the third day but took two hours to make the breakthrough.

They will need to produce the joint second-highest run chase in test history at Lord’s following England’s successful 282-run chase against New Zealand in 2004. The highest is West Indies hunting down 342 against England in 1984.

A flatter wicket might offer some hope, after 28 wickets were taken on the opening two days of the contest, but Starc’s exploits make Australia runaway favourites to retain their title after they scored 207 in their second innings.

They started the day on 144-8 with a 218-run lead and modest ambitions of adding 20-30 runs more, captain Pat Cummins had said after Thursday’s play.

But while Nathan Lyon was dismissed in the third over of the day, becoming Kagiso Rabada’s ninth victim of the match as he was trapped leg before wicket for two, Starc and Josh Hazlewood frustrated SA's hopes of chasing a less daunting target.

Starc was a model of patience, picking up runs and protecting Hazlewood, before bringing up his 50 with a scything cut shot that took Australia past 200, having been reeling at 73-7 late on the second day.

SA used six bowlers on Friday in their bid to forge a breakthrough and were increasingly desperate as the target crept up.

It was part-timer Aiden Markram who finally dismissed Hazlewood, as the batsman dragged the ball to Keshav Maharaj at cover. Hazlewood scored 17 off 53 balls.

SA scored 138 in the first innings which offers some perspective on how tough their second-innings task will be, albeit they have two and a half days in which to chase down the target.

--Reuters--