Steyn leaves Australia facing Test defeat

(CNN) -- Captain Ricky Ponting fell one run short of his second century of the match as Australia faced the prospect of a first home Test series defeat for 15 years against South Africa in Melbourne.

Dale Steyn, whose batting heroics on the third day helped haul the Proteas back into contention, claimed his second five- wicket haul of the game as Australia were all out 247.

The tourists then reached 30 without loss at the close -- Graeme Smith contributed 25 -- and require just another 153 runs to complete a historic victory.

Ponting, who had reached three figures in both innings of a Test on three previous occasions, was earlier denied by Smith who snapped up a catch at short cover off Morne Morkel.

Mitchell Johnson, not out 43, made the only other significant contribution in a second innings that saw five players fail to reach double figures.

South Africa had led by 61 runs at the end of the third day after Jean-Paul Duminy (166) and Steyn (76) put on a record stand of 180 for the ninth wicket.

It helped them to an improbable first innings total of 459 having resumed on 198 for seven and looking set for a big deficit.

Steyn made his mark when Australia opened the penultimate day on four for no wicket and his haul saw him chalk up his 150th Test victim. Apart from Ponting he also accounted for Matthew Hayden, Simon Katich, Michael Clarke and Andrew Symonds.

That left Australia requiring something special if they are to avoid a home series defeat for the first time since West Indies in 1993.