De Villiers, Rabada lead South Africa's charge

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Australia face an uphill battle in Port Elizabeth after the brilliance of AB de Villiers (126*) and Kagiso Rabada (3/38) seized the advantage for South Africa.

Day three began with the match evenly poised but de Villiers' first Test century since January 2015 helped the Proteas to 382, a first-innings lead of 139, before South Africa's attack left Australia 180/5.

Rabada was inspired once again with the ball, adding to his five-for in the first innings with the wickets of David Warner – who was bowled by a pearler – Shaun Marsh and, just before stumps, the crucial wicket of Usman Khawaja, who had battled hard for his 75.

With Cameron Bancroft – who was bowled by Lungi Ngidi after his defensive stroke trickled back off his foot and onto his stumps – and Steve Smith, who edged behind off Keshav Maharaj for 11, also back in the hutch, Australia's hopes rest on Mitchell Marsh (39*) and the lower order extending their lead well beyond the 41 runs that it currently stands.

The day had started with a magnificent innings from de Villiers that will be remembered as one of the very best, if not the best, of his Test career. On a pitch that has proved challenging for batsmen from ball one, he seemingly scored at will, manipulating the ball into the gaps with ease and hitting 20 fours and one six. The 34-year-old opted to take a break from Test cricket in 2016 and upon his return to the side for last December's one-off Test match against Zimbabwe he explained that he had needed to "freshen up and feel that hunger again". On this evidence, de Villiers' appetite is now stronger than it's ever been.

After reaching 74 not out at stumps the previous evening, he started sedately before moving through the gears with two boundaries in Josh Hazlewood's fourth over of the day; the first delightfully flicked through mid-on and the second deftly guided to the third-man boundary. The next ball he faced, from Pat Cummins, also raced to the boundary as de Villiers swatted a pull stroke for four off the front foot.

Cummins got the first breakthrough of the morning when Vernon Philander, who hit a useful 36, could only fend a short ball to short-leg where Bancroft took a smart catch, but de Villiers was raising his bat two deliveries later after expertly ramping the same bowler over the slip cordon to bring up his century in 116 balls.

He continued to find good support from the lower order, Maharaj hitting an entertaining 30 from 24 balls, including two sixes off Nathan Lyon – the first of which was very nearly snaffled by Khawaja on the boundary, replays showing the fielder just stepped over the rope while lobbing the ball back into play – and three consecutive boundaries off Mitchell Starc as the Proteas added vital runs to their lead.

Clearly enjoying himself, Maharaj's aggression eventually got the better of him as he played a wild slog across the line and Hazlewood rearranged his woodwork but the 58 runs he added for the ninth wicket with de Villiers could well prove crucial in the final outcome of this match.

A superb piece of fielding by Smith at deep cover brought the innings to a close, with the Australian captain's direct hit finding Ngidi short of his ground but from teetering at 183/6 de Villiers had entirely shifted the momentum of the match.