Proteas still in command 

Hobart: Quinton de Kock scored a sparkling century and paceman Kyle Abbott captured two wickets before bad light halted South Africa's march on day three of the second Test on Monday, with Australia still 120 runs shy of making the tourists bat again. Abbott dismissed openers Joe Burns for a duck and David Warner for 45, before Usman Khawaja (56 not out) and captain Steve Smith (18 not out) steadied to push Australia to 121 for two on a day littered with rain squalls at Bellerive Oval.

The home side remained in a perilous position with two days to play after South Africa, fired by De Kock's 104, were dismissed for 326. The Proteas' pacemen bowled superbly after tea, beating the bat repeatedly off the seam but reaped little reward, barring Warner's wicket. Warner's luck ran out when Abbott had the ball rebound off the left-hander's hip and elbow before it dropped to knock off the bails.

An enthralling battle between Vernon Philander and Khawaja ensued, with the Australian number three surviving a string of play-and-misses before raising his half-century with a flick through mid-wicket. Khawaja's defiance cheered the small crowd which had watched Australia collapse for 85 on the opening day and were denied action on day two due to rain.

The batsman earlier survived an lbw appeal off the bowling of Philander, but umpire Richard Kettleborough was unmoved and South Africa lost their second review. Burns, trapped lbw by Abbott for one run in the first innings, lasted four balls before nicking behind off the same bowler.