In a dramatic World Test Championship decider that's had multiple twists a day, a brilliant Aiden Markram century, in a 143-run stand with hobbling captain Temba Bavuma (65no), has South Africa 69 runs away from a famous victory.
Set 282 to win, the Proteas piled on 0-119 in the final session on Friday to be 2-213 by stumps on day three, as the pitch flattened out during glorious sunny weather in London.
Twenty-eight wickets tumbled on Wednesday and Thursday - 14 each day - but just four fell on Friday on what could turn out to be a defining day for South African cricket.
Markram's eighth Test century - and only his second outside of South Africa - has him poised to become a true Proteas hero.
It would be fitting if Markram (102 no) could lead them to the glory, having captained the Proteas' first under-19 World Cup win in 2014.
South Africa's one and only senior ICC title came back in 1998 when they lifted the Champions Trophy.
Since then, they have endured numerous painful misses in the latter stages of ODI and T20 World Cups, often against Australia.
But the trajectory of this WTC final changed once Smith put down Bavuma when the Proteas skipper was on just two.
Wearing a helmet while standing closer in slips than normal, the former Australia captain put down a regulation chance off Mitchell Starc that would have had South Africa at 3-76.
Smith immediately left the field in agony, later revealed to be a compound fracture of the little finger on his right hand.
The 36-year-old will take no further part in the match and is in serious doubt to play in Australia's upcoming three-Test tour of the West Indies.
If South Africa create history, it would equal the second-highest successful chase in a Test at Lord's, tied with England's 282 against New Zealand back in 2004.
In 1984, West Indies, in their pomp, successfully chased 342 for the loss of just one wicket against England at the famous ground.
Bavuma, who had the pro-South African singing his name, has battled a hamstring injury he suffered when sprinting for a quick single.
The 35-year-old received medical attention before and during the lunch interval, but has batted on while limping as he ran between the wickets.
Evergreen quick Starc (2-53) has claimed both of South Africa's second-innings scalps, backing up an important knock on Friday morning.
Starting day three of their second innings 8-144, Australia's lower-order lasted 119 minutes and added another 78 in a sign of how much easier batting had become.
No.11 Josh Hazlewood (17) hung in there for 53 balls and was the last player out on the stroke of lunch, caught in the deep to give part-time spinner Aiden Markram his second wicket of the Test.
Starc (58no), batting at No.9, finished as Australia's top-scorer of the innings ahead of wicketkeeper Alex Carey (43).
He faced more balls (136) than any other Australia batter during an innings in this Test, even more than Steve Smith's 112 for his 66 on day one.
It was the 11th half-century of Starc's 97-Test career.
Star Proteas quick Kagiso Rabada (4-59) finished with match figures of 9-110 after he destroyed Australia with 5-51 in the first innings to put his name on the Lord's honour board for a second time.
He took a five-for against England at the home of cricket back in 2022.
This AAP article was made possible by support from Amazon Prime Video, which is broadcasting the World Test Championship final.
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