Lunch Australia 550 and 7 for 206 (Hussey 54, Wade 13*, Pattinson 0*) lead South Africa 388 by 368 runs
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A half-century from Michael Hussey stretched Australia's lead to 368 on the fourth day in Adelaide, where South Africa will need to complete a record chase to claim victory. The Australians added 95 to their overnight total before lunch for the loss of two wickets, and at the break they were on 7 for 206 with Matthew Wade on 13 and James Pattinson yet to face a ball.
The highest successful chase to win an Adelaide Test was 315 scored by Australia against England in 1902, and South Africa will face the challenge of a wearing pitch as they aim for whatever hefty target is set. Already Australia's lead meant that South Africa would need the second-highest chase in Tests in Australia, the biggest being their 414 at the WACA four years ago.
The South Africans really needed to pick up where they left off on the third afternoon, when their fast men troubled Australia's top order. But the runs flowed a little too easily for Hussey and Michael Clarke during the morning, especially off the legspin of Imran Tahir, who continued to leak nearly a run a ball.
Dale Steyn broke the 70-run partnership when he had Clarke lbw for 38, a hopeful review from Australia's captain not saving him. But the runs kept coming from Hussey, who was not only lightning fast between the wickets but was finding the gaps in the field with impressive regularity, and brought up his half-century from his 81st ball with a punch through cover-point for four.
Hussey fell in the last over before lunch when he tried to pull Morne Morkel and succeeded only in top-edging a catch to Steyn at midwicket. But Hussey had done his job, and some tail-wagging from Wade and the bowlers could yet push South Africa's task even further into unlikely territory.
Hussey pushes Australia's lead past 350
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Hussey pushes Australia's lead past 350
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Hussey pushes Australia's lead past 350
