South Africa have set New Zealand 389 on the final day to win the third cricket Test after declaring on 3-189.

The Proteas added 114 to their overnight score in just 14.4 overs on the morning of the fifth day as AB de Villiers smashed 68 from just 49 balls and JP Duminy also cracked a rapid 33.

The Black Caps will have 81 overs to reach the total but will have to do it without the contribution of captain Ross Taylor.

He was to undergo surgery on Tuesday on a fractured forearm after being hit by a Morne Morkel delivery on the fourth day.

He is expected to be out of action for at least four weeks.

If successful it will be New Zealand’s highest ever run chase to win a Test, beating the 324 they made to beat Pakistan in Christchurch in 1994.

Resuming on 0-75, a lead of 274, South Africa lost first innings century-maker Alviro Petersen for 39 in the first over after he was run out by Doug Bracewell.

Bracewell followed that with a spectacular diving one-handed catch to give Daniel Vettori his first wicket in the match to remove Graeme Smith for 41 as the tourists continued to look for quick runs.

Smith was earlier lucky to survive an lbw shout by Chris Martin that was given not out despite the video review showing the ball would have thudded into his leg stump.

De Villiers laid into the New Zealand attack to crunch eight boundaries and a six as he and Duminy, who hit three sixes in his 23-ball assault, added 83 in just 8.2 overs.

When De Villiers holed out to Kane Williamson off Bracewell, Smith declared the innings closed.

Mark Gillespie was the bowler to suffer the most in the face of the onslaught, with his two overs leaking 33 runs.