Hosts Australia made a fast start on day three of the ISPS HANDA Melbourne World Cup of Golf to move to the top of the leaderboard at The Metropolitan Golf Club.
Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith had shared the lead after day one but a 76 in tough conditions in Friday's foursomes left them four shots behind midway leaders Belgium and South Korea.
Thomas Detry and Thomas Pieters, and Byeong-hun An and Si Woo Kim played their first three holes of fourballs in level par on Saturday and that left the door open for the Australians to join them at ten under.
Scottish pair Martin Laird and Russell Knox were a shot off the lead alongside Italy's Renato Paratore and Andrea Pavan.
Defending champions Denmark, Sweden, England, Malaysia and Mexico were then at eight under.
The Australian duo looked to be playing themselves out of things on Friday at six over for their round after 13 holes but they made a hat-trick of birdies from the 14th before bogeying the last to sit just four behind.
On day three, Leishman birdied the second from 20 feet and then made an eagle at the fourth from ten feet. Smith then got it on the act from 15 feet at the fifth and the hosts were at the top of the leaderboard.
Søren Kjeldsen and Thorbjørn Olesen were six over for their round after just five holes on day two but battled back to enter the weekend just six back and they too were making a big move with birdies on the first and fifth and an eagle on the seventh.
Italy then made a birdie on the first to get within one of the lead.
Alexander Björk and Joakim Lagergren made birdies on the second, third and seventh but they were soon one shot behind the Scots, who were flying.
Laird put a tee-shot to four feet on the second and after the pair made a birdie on the par-five fourth, Knox holed an eight-footer on the fifth.
Mexico were one under after five holes, with England and Malaysia at level par for the day after four.
India's Gaganjeet Bhullar and Anirban Lahiri were at seven under.
