Jacques Rudolph left Australia's highly rated bowling attack red-faced on Tuesday as the 24-year-old scored a career-defining century to allow South Africa to force a draw in the first Test at the WACA.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting strongly defended his bowlers who produced only three wickets on the final day's play with South Africa reaching 5-287 from 126 overs after being set a world record of 491 runs to win.

"One hundred and 26 overs, we thought that was going to be plenty of time," Ponting said.

"The attack I thought did a pretty good job in the conditions we had.

"The wicket was incredibly flat, especially for the fast bowlers."

The Australian skipper also defended his controversial decision to allow his side to bat on until an early tea was taken on the fourth day's play.

Ponting refused to declare until Brad Hodge reached his double century at 8-528, with the Victorian scoring 203 not out.

This gave Australia a lead of 490 with the world record successful run chase in Test history being the West Indies' tally of 7-418 against Australia at Antigua in 2002-03.

"That wasn't ever a motivating factor," Ponting said of Hodge's pursuit of a double ton.

"We were actually going to pull out a bit before that and then he got a bit of a move on.

"But he got within reach then so we decided it would be nice to let him go ahead and do it."

Ponting had suggested last year West Indies captain Brian Lara was being selfish in Antigua to bat on until after lunch on the third day against England to score a world record 400 not out, in a match that was drawn.

Australia seemed poised for victory with South Africa resuming on Tuesday morning on 2-85.

But after the loss of Herschelle Gibbs (33) and Ashwell Prince (eight) in the first session, Rudolph (102 not out) and Justin Kemp (55) held firm on a lifeless WACA pitch.

Kemp and Rudolph shared a partnership of 112 runs for the fifth wicket in three-and-a-half hours.

Kemp became Shane Warne's third victim of the innings when he was caught at silly point by Ponting for 55 with 12.2 overs remaining.

Rudolph, who was given his chance after star all-rounder Jacques Kallis was ruled out of the first Test with an elbow injury, had made 102 not out in seven hours and 11 minutes with 13 boundaries until stumps were drawn at 5.49pm.

Wicketkeeper Mark Boucher finished unbeaten on 13 in 52 minutes.

Leg-spinner Warne was expected to be Australia's trump card on a wicket offering slow turn. The Victorian bowled a marathon 47 overs in the second innings, taking 3-83 including the wicket of Prince LBW at 4-138 after Brett Lee removed Gibbs caught at slip 29 runs earlier.

Veteran right-armer Glenn McGrath (0-39 from 24 overs) went wicketless while all-rounder Andrew Symonds (0-6) bowled only three overs after not being used at all in the first innings.

Ponting tried to claim his side would head to the Boxing Day Test in a positive frame of mind and with just as much momentum as South Africa.

"We've actually played a really good Test match. Our first innings batting (258) was probably the only disappointment from it," he said.

"Unfortunately we weren't good enough to knock them over today."

Having passed Dennis Lillee's calendar year world record of 85 Test wickets in this match, Warne has now moved along to 90 with two three-wicket hauls and will have the chance in the second Test in Melbourne (December 26-30) to reach the magical century.

South African captain Graeme Smith said Hodge's push towards a double century in Australia's second innings had caused problems for Ponting.

"I think he got himself in a bit of a predicament though when he pushed on a bit and Hodge got close to 200," Smith said, adding his side would be full of confidence for the Melbourne Test.

"Certainly he gave us no option of chasing down the target.

"Having a day and a session to chase 500 (491 to win) doesn't give you a lot of options to go and win a game." Both captains said Warne gained considerable turn out of the bowlers' footmarks.

"We got close to 300 without really pushing ourselves at any stage," Smith said.

"I think probably 350, close to 400 we would have given ourselves an opportunity if we'd batted well."

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