Brad Hodge in Perth on Monday. (Reuters)

Perth: Brad Hodge completed a double-century on Monday to put Australia in control of the opening Test against South Africa with a day to go.

Hodge’s unbeaten 203 allowed Ricky Ponting to declare Australia’s second innings at 528 for eight and set the South Africans a daunting 491 to win in just four sessions.

With no real victory prospects, the Proteas signalled their intentions to bat out a draw but lost two early wickets to slump to 85 for two when play ended 15 minutes early owing to bad light.

Hodge caught AB de Villiers at short leg off Shane Warne for 12. De Villiers survived 76 minutes and needed 33 balls to get off the mark. Captain Graeme Smith followed soon, trapped by left arm seamer Nathan Bracken for 30, leaving Jacques Rudolph (18 not out) and Herschelle Gibbs (17 not out) to battle on.

South Africa had first innings lead of 38 runs, but Hodge put the match out of their reach with his maiden hundred in just his third Test appearance.

Dropped on 13, Hodge batted 469 minutes, faced 332 balls and hit 22 boundaries in a brilliant mixture of patience and aggression. He brought up his maiden Test hundred shortly in the same over.

Meanwhile, a hamstring injury has forced opening batsman Justin Langer out of the second Test.