CAPE TOWN — Fast bowler Morne Morkel took his 300th Test wicket as South Africa bowled themselves into a strong position on the second day of the third Test against Australia at Newlands on Friday.

Australia were 245 for nine when bad light ended play, 66 runs behind South Africa's first innings total of 311. But it could have been worse for Australia. They were in deep trouble at 175 for eight before Nathan Lyon hit a Test-best 47 in a ninth wicket partnership of 66 with Tim Paine, who was unbeaten on 33.

Morkel, who will retire from international cricket after the series, took three of the first four Australian wickets to fall and became the fifth South African to join the 300 club.

Morkel dismissed Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith in his first spell, then came back to break a 78-run fourth wicket stand between Cameron Bancroft and Shaun Marsh when Marsh flashed at a wide ball and was caught behind.

Bancroft made 77 off 103 balls with 14 fours but was leg before wicket to Vernon Philander in the last over before tea to leave Australia in a precarious position.

Morkel, 33, playing in his 85th Test, took a fourth wicket when Lyon's adventurous 38-ball innings was ended by a catch by Dean Elgar running back from point.

Earlier, Kagiso Rabada was hit for five boundaries in a row by David Warner but won a duel with the Australian opening batsman when he sent Warner's off stump cartwheeling.

Warner was bowled for 30. He hit three fours off the last three balls of Rabada's second over, then hooked the first ball of Rabada's next over for six. He sliced a no-ball for four, then was bowled by a ball which went between bat and pad with Warner stuck on his crease.

Rabada, who had a two-match ban for making contact with Australian captain Steve Smith overturned before the Test, ran down the wicket to celebrate but did not go near the batsman.

But Warner appeared to react to a comment from a spectator in the members' pavilion, stopping and turning as he climbed the steps to the dressing room

Coach Darren Lehmann said Australia has made an official complaint to South Africa's cricket body over what he calls the "disgraceful" behavior of home fans at Newlands on the second day of the third test.

Lehmann said a number of Australian players were subjected to verbal abuse from fans, including references to players' families. The issue was first highlighted when Warner was confronted by a fan and apparently verbally abused as he left the field after being dismissed.

Television footage shows Warner stopping in his tracks and turning to face the man, who then appeared to continue making comments as Warner walked up the stairs toward the Australia dressing room.

A security official tried to intervene but the man kept on going at Warner. After facing the man for a few moments, Warner continued up the stairs.

That incident was not the only one, Lehmann said. He complained his team had been subjected to abuse from the crowd in the first two Tests, but it reached a crescendo in Cape Town on Friday.

"It's been disgraceful," Lehmann said. "You're talking about abuse of various players and their families and personal abuse. It's not on at a cricket ground anywhere around the world, not just here. It shouldn't happen. There's been various incidents throughout the test series but this one has taken the cake."

Earlier, South African opening batsman Dean Elgar equaled a world record when he carried his bat through a completed innings for the third time. Elgar finished unbeaten on 141. Only Desmond Haynes of the West Indies had previously batted through a Test innings on three occasions.

Smith also equaled a world record when he caught South Africa's last two batsmen for a total of five catches in the innings, the joint most by a fielder. Although ten other fielders shared the record, Smith was only the second Australian to achieve the feat after Vic Richardson in 1935/36.

Elgar and Rabada frustrated the Australians for 50 minutes as they took South Africa's overnight total from 266 for eight. They shared a partnership of 50 before off-spinner Nathan Lyon had Rabada caught by Smith at slip for 22 off his first ball of the day.

Elgar batted for 434 minutes, faced 284 balls and hit 20 fours and a six. — AFP

Scorecard

South Africa, first innings

D. Elgar not out 141

A. Markram c Smith b Hazlewood 0

H. Amla c Cummins b Hazlewood 31

A. de Villiers c Warner b Cummins 64

F. du Plessis c Smith b Cummins 5

T. Bavuma c Smith b Cummins 1

Q. de Kock c Paine b Cummins 3

V. Philander c Paine b M. Marsh 8

K. Maharaj c Bancroft b Starc 3

K. Rabada c Smith b Lyon 22

M. Morkel c Smith b Lyon 4

Extras (b13, lb11, nb3, w2) 29

Total (97.5 overs) 311

Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Markram), 2-92 (Amla), 3-220 (De Villiers), 4-234 (Du Plessis), 5-236 (Bavuma), 6-242 (De Kock), 7-254 (Philander), 8-257 (Maharaj), 9-307 (Rabada), 10-311.

Bowling: Starc 21-3-81-1 (2nb), Hazlewood 23-4-59-2, Lyon 19.5-6-43-2, Cummins 26-6-78-4 (1w), M. Marsh 7-2-26-1 (1nb, 1w), Smith 1-1-0-0.

Australia, first innings

C. Bancroft lbw b Philander 77

D. Warner b Rabada 30

U. Khawaja c Rabada b Morkel 5

S. Smith c Elgar b Morkel 5

S. Marsh c De Kock b Morkel 26

M. Marsh c De Kock b Philander 5

T. Paine not out 33

P. Cummins c De Villiers b Rabada 4

M. Starc c De Villiers b Rabada 2

N. Lyon c Elgar b Morkel 47

J. Hazlewood not out 1

Extras (b1, lb5, nb4) 10

Total (9 wkts, 67 overs) 245

Fall of wickets: 1-43 (Warner), 2-61 (Khawaja), 3-72 (Smith), 4-150 (S. Marsh), 5-150 (Bancroft), 6-156 (M. Marsh), 7-173 (Cummins), 8-175 (Starc), 9-241 (Lyon).

Bowling: Philander 15-5-26-2 (1nb), Rabada 19-1-81-3 (3nb), Morkel 20-6-87-4, Maharaj 12-3-35-0, Bavuma 1-0-10-0.