South Africa has made 357 in their first innings and led Zimbabwe by 113 at the end of the third day of the one-off test at Harare Sports Club.

The Zimbabweans were 1-28 in their second innings on Monday after posting 256 in the first, and were facing an expected uphill battle against the top-ranked team.

South Africa’s 141-run first-innings lead was built on scores of 98 by Faf du Plessis and 81 from Quinton de Kock, who combined for a 119-run partnership for the fifth wicket to put South Africa in control.

Still, South Africa’s run-scoring was slow as the visitors ground their way in front on a lifeless pitch.

Offspinner John Nyumbu took 5-157 on debut for Zimbabwe, making use of a surface that favoured the slow bowlers to claim the important wickets of Du Plessis and JP Duminy, who made 55.

With South Africa continuing on 4-201 in the morning, Du Plessis and De Kock put together the best stand of the match to give the tourists a clear advantage.

Du Plessis batted for nearly six hours and faced 264 balls, but fell two short of his fourth test hundred when he clipped a catch to a close fielder off Nyumbu.

De Kock had to restrain his normally attacking game to hit only five fours and a six, and he also fell to spin when he miscued a drive off Sean Williams to Sibanda.

Duminy made his sixth test half-century and Dale Steyn briefly raised the tempo with two sixes off Nyumbu before the spinner struck back to remove him for 19.

Nyumbu’s maiden five-wicket haul came when Duminy fell to another close catch trying to reverse sweep, and the bowler went down on his knees to celebrate an impressive debut despite Zimbabwe’s tough position overall.