Australia duo pile on runs

The hosts were dominated by the pair with 20-year-old opener Hughes, who made a century in the first innings, inching towards a second hundred in the game on 86 not out, while his captain was unbeaten on 78 as the tourists reached the break at 203 for one.

Peter Siddle had earlier claimed the final two wickets without the Proteas adding to their overnight total of 138 for seven, leaving them a massive 214 runs behind.

Resuming after lunch at 91 for one, Hughes brought up his third consecutive Test fifty from just 78 balls when he sliced Morne Morkel through the gully region for four in the first over after the break.

Ponting followed not long after in even quicker time with his 50 raised in just 60 balls, before the pair brought up the 100 stand when the visiting skipper guided Makhaya Ntini past the slips for a well-placed four.

The Tasmanian then reached another milestone when he lifted Dale Steyn over midwicket for four - overtaking Steve Waugh's 10,927 career runs to become the fourth highest run scorer in the game - as Australia reached tea in a commanding position.

In the morning session, Siddle had followed on the good work done by Mitchell Johnson and Andrew McDonald on day two when the pair claimed three wickets each by removing the last two batsmen within three deliveries of the start.

The Victoria paceman struck with just the second delivery when he tempted Steyn to chase a wide delivery that took the toe end of the bat through to Brad Haddin for eight.

It was a crucial blow to the South Africans, especially after Steyn showed incredible concentration in his hour long stay yesterday to help JP Duminy move to within 17 runs of his century.

And his dismissal was followed by that of Ntini with the very next delivery when Siddle's angled delivery trapped him in front for a duck, leaving Duminy unbeaten on 73 and having not faced a ball on day three.