Warner out as Australia falter in chase of 539

PERTH (Reuters) - Australia lost David Warner to a brilliant piece of South African fielding and were reduced to 84 for two at tea on the fourth day of the first test on Sunday, still 455 runs short of their improbable victory target. The hosts started their pursuit soon after lunch when South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis finally declared at 540 for eight and a lead of 538, having all but batted Australia out of the contest. Warner is not a man to shirk a challenge, however, and he set off at a good lick with 35 runs from 33 balls in a partnership of 52 with fellow opener Shaun Marsh. South Africa's pace attack, reduced to Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada after the loss for the series of an injured Dale Steyn, were struggling for the breakthrough on another hot day at the WACA until the intervention of Temba Bavuma. Warner pushed the ball towards point and was cantering down the wicket when the diminutive Bavuma acrobatically swept up the ball and, while still airborne, flicked it at the base of the middle stump. Marsh departed four balls later for 15, catching an edge to a Rabada delivery and Usman Khawaja almost followed in the next over, surviving on a DRS review after being adjudged caught behind. Khawaja reached the break on 16 not out with his captain Steve Smith at the other end unbeaten on 11.Smith had earlier bowled Philander for 73 to bring an end to three hours of frustration for the hosts as the tourists added another 150 runs to their overnight tally of 390-6. Quinton de Kock made 64 before he was caught at short leg off Mitchell Marsh but Philander and debutant spinner Keshav Maharaj (41 not out) continued to plunder runs off the exhausted Australian bowlers. The highest successful fourth-innings run chase in test cricket was the 418-7 West Indies scored to beat Australia at Antigua in May 2003, while South Africa scored 414-4 to beat their hosts at the WACA in 2008. The Proteas will therefore be confident of taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series with four sessions remaining over the last two days of the test. They will have to take all 10 Australian wickets without Steyn, however, after their pace spearhead was ruled out of the series by a shoulder injury on Friday. (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney, editing by Peter Rutherford)