Sydney, Jan. 6 : Chasing 376 to win on a difficult SCG pitch, South Africa reached 62 for one at the end of play on day four of the third Test against Australia.

Hashim Amla was batting 30, while acting captain Neil McKenzie was batting on 25. The Proteas need a further 314 runs to achieve a third remarkable victory against Ricky Ponting''s No. 1-ranked Australian side.

Only five wickets have fallen on day four despite the large cracks in the pitch. Australia resumed on 0-33 and declared at 4-257, 50 minutes after tea.

Forced to find a replacement after skipper Graeme Smith fractured his left hand in South Africa''s first innings, the Proteas sent No. 8 batsman Morne Morkel to open with McKenzie.

Morkel made a second-ball duck, caught at mid-on as debutant Doug Bollinger claimed his first Test wicket before his adoring home crowd of 19,061 fans.

Australia trailing two zero in the three-match series, need a victory in the dead-rubber match to avoid a whitewash and to maintain top ranking in the Test championship.

South Africa must post the sixth-highest successful fourth-innings run chase in Test history to win. The highest successful fourth-innings effort at the SCG is Australia''s 2-288 against the Proteas three years ago.

Opener Simon Katich top-scored for Australia with 61. (ANI)