Africa moved into a strong position on the third day of the second Test against Australia at St George’s Park on Saturday but lost one of their four specialist bowlers.
Australia were bowled out for 246 in their first innings, giving South Africa a lead of 177, which they stretched to 369 by the close of play, reaching 192 for four. Hashim Amla returned to form with a sparkling innings of 93 not out.
But South Africa will be without left-arm fast-medium bowler Wayne Parnell when they attempt to bowl out Australia a second time. Parnell, who on Friday, took two wickets with his first three deliveries of the match, pulled up with a groin injury after bowling three balls in his ninth over.
Team manager Mohammed Moosajee said Parnell had a strain, not a tear, but would nevertheless be unable to bowl in the second innings.
It left South Africa with three specialist bowlers after bringing in a batsman for an all-rounder after losing the first Test in Centurion by 281 runs.
Australia found themselves in unfamiliar territory in a dominant southern hemisphere summer, during which they have won six successive Tests, all by wide margins.
South Africa, though, looked more like the team that has surged to the top of the international Test rankings as they followed up a solid first innings with aggressive bowling to put Australia under pressure.
The tall Morne Morkel was particularly hostile, peppering the batsmen with numerous short deliveries as he took three wickets for 63 runs.
Vernon Philander claimed three for 68.
South Africa were on top from the fifth over of the day when Philander had top-scorer David Warner caught at slip for 70 runs.
Nightwatchman Nathan Lyon, after standing up to a bumper barrage from Morkel, chopped a ball from the tall fast bowler into his stumps in the next over.
Steve Smith and Brad Haddin both survived chances as they added 40 for the seventh wicket before Haddin was bowled by Dale Steyn.
Australia struck back at the start of South Africa’s second innings by dismissing both opening batsmen cheaply.
Captain Graeme Smith failed for the fourth successive innings when he was bowled off an inside edge for 14 by Johnson – the eighth time he has been out to the left-arm fast bowler in Tests.
The opening partnership of 20 with Dean Elgar was the highest by either side in seven innings of a series which features two strong fast bowling attacks. Elgar was caught behind off Peter Siddle for 16. (AFP)
SCORECARD
South Africa 1st inn: 423
Australia 1st inn: (o’night 112/4)
C Rogers lbw Philander 5
D Warner c Smith b Philander 70
A Doolan c de Villiers b Parnell 8 S Marsh c de Villiers b Parnell 0 M Clarke c Elgar b Philander 19
N Lyon b Morkel 15
S Smith c de Villiers b Morkel 49
B Haddin b Steyn 9
M Johnson b Duminy 27
R Harris c du Plessis b Morkel 26
P Siddle not out 11
Extras: (lb-4, nb-1, w-2) 7
Total: (all out; 57 overs) 246
FOW: 1-7, 2-41, 3-41, 4-81, 5-120, 6-128, 7-168, 8-205, 9-209
Bowling: Steyn 13-3-55-1, Philander 13-0-68-3, Morkel 17-0-63-3, Parnell 8.3-2-31-2, Elgar 0.3-0-1-0, Duminy 5-0-24-1
South Africa 2nd inn:
G Smith b Johnson 14
D Elgar c Haddin b Siddle 16
H Amla batting 93
F du Plessis c Haddin b Siddle 24
AB de Villiers c Haddin b J’son 29
Q de Kock batting 9
Extras: (b-2, lb-5) 7
Total: (4 wkts; 47 overs) 192
FOW: 1-20, 2-42, 3-112, 4-167
Bowling: Johnson 12-0-48-2, Harris 10-1-53-0, Lyon 12-2-31-0, Siddle 13-2-53-2