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ea South Africa 25 for 1 (Smith 14*, Amla 10*) trail England 385 (Cook 115, Trott 71, Prior 60, Morkel 4-72) by 360 runs
Dale Steyn removed Ravi Bopara for a duck during a fired-up spell © PA Photos
This is what a contest for the No. 1 ranking should be like; intense, gripping and fluctuating. South Africa surged out of blocks on the second day, led by revitalised Dale Steyn, but England responded with Matt Prior compiling a vital half-century to again show why he can lay claim to being the finest wicketkeeper-batsman in Test cricket. Then, when South Africa replied to England's 385, James Anderson removed Alvrio Petersen in the third over as the match remained on a knife-edge.
The opening day of this series had not been a poor contest - far from it - but it had perhaps lacked a little of the edge expected when these two locks horns with such a significant prize on offer. South Africa began by making significant early inroads as Steyn removed Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara in consecutive overs. England's batting was given its toughest examination by pace in quite some time, but they have not reached No. 1 by shirking a challenge.
Prior, with pieces of support from Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann - the much-vaunted lower order - ensured wickets seven to nine added 99 priceless runs. Prior could have gone on 17, when Jacques Rudolph spilled a low chance at gully, with England on 297 for 6. That could yet prove a crucial moment in this game, although there are many twists and turns to come.
On a cloudy, muggy, day South Africa did not find life easy at the start of their innings, either. In his second over Anderson produced a pin-point inswinger to trap Petersen lbw and Graeme Smith was not always comfortable. The head-to-head between Anderson and Steyn will be an enduring image of this series.
Steyn was curiously subdued on the opening day, sending down 21 wicketless overs and needing treatment off the field on his ankle, but emerged on Friday morning with a performance much more akin to the No. 1 fast bowler in the world. In the third over of the day he removed Cook, England's lynchpin, who added just one to his overnight score when he dragged a drive into his stumps.
That opened the way for his Essex team-mate, Bopara, to resume his Test career at No. 6 but it was not a happy comeback. The ball after a loud shot for lbw from Steyn - the delivery was just clipping leg stump - Bopara was left in two minds how to play a bouncer. He was caught between hooking and leaving, which resulted in him dangling his bat high in the air and feathering an edge to AB de Villiers.
The quality of the bowling - Steyn's pace and Vernon Philander's subtle swing - kept England's batsmen virtually scoreless. The opening eight overs of the day brought six runs for the loss of the two key wickets. Prior picked up the first boundary of the day when offered some rare width by Steyn, but was involved in a horrid mix-up with Ian Bell next ball that could have led to another wicket.
Prior played the ball to point, thought he had found the gap and raced off for a single only for Petersen to collect the ball with both batsmen stranded mid-pitch. However, no one had managed to reach the stumps and Petersen's throw missed the target to give England a reprieve.
Yet it was only momentary relief for the home side. Jacques Kallis was introduced as first change and produced an opening over of the highest class to dislodge Bell. He began with two outswingers, one booming wide of the stumps, before making a delivery hold its line. Then, with the fourth ball of the over, he produced a delivery which nipped back, Bell shouldered arms and the ball grazed the off bail. Kallis initially appealed for lbw before realising the job was already done. England had lost 4 for 33 going back to Kevin Pietersen's gloved pull on Thursday evening and the game looked very different.
Much has been made of England's lower-order strength and this was one of their biggest challenges. The four-pronged pace attack offered few poor deliveries, although Morkel was the least consistent and Prior took advantage with a pull, a drive and a cut to relieve a little of the pressure.
Having started to steady the innings it will have been galling for England that a poor delivery from Imran Tahir broke the seventh-wicket stand. As with Kallis, Tahir struck in his first over when Bresnan dragged a long hop into his stumps. South Africa then used up both their reviews trying to dislodge Broad - one with Philander and one with Tahir - the latter taking nearly half a minute to ask for, which is stretching the playing conditions beyond their limits.
Prior and Broad resumed after lunch with a positive mindset as boundaries started to flow. Prior led the way with a series of wonderful drives, but Broad wasn't lost in comparison as he drove Steyn off the back foot through cover. Philander broke the counter-attack when he swung one back into Broad although England did not block their way through the rest of the innings.
Swann was clonked on the helmet second ball by Steyn, but responded by swatting the fast bowler for two boundaries in his next over. Swann is unlikely to miss the opportunity to remind his team-mates that he was the one left stranded at the end after Prior edged Morkel and Anderson gloved down the leg side four balls later. That made it five catches for de Villiers in a very competent display as Mark Boucher's replacement.
Dale Steyn removed Ravi Bopara for a duck during a fired-up spell © PA Photos
This is what a contest for the No. 1 ranking should be like; intense, gripping and fluctuating. South Africa surged out of blocks on the second day, led by revitalised Dale Steyn, but England responded with Matt Prior compiling a vital half-century to again show why he can lay claim to being the finest wicketkeeper-batsman in Test cricket. Then, when South Africa replied to England's 385, James Anderson removed Alvrio Petersen in the third over as the match remained on a knife-edge.
The opening day of this series had not been a poor contest - far from it - but it had perhaps lacked a little of the edge expected when these two locks horns with such a significant prize on offer. South Africa began by making significant early inroads as Steyn removed Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara in consecutive overs. England's batting was given its toughest examination by pace in quite some time, but they have not reached No. 1 by shirking a challenge.
Prior, with pieces of support from Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann - the much-vaunted lower order - ensured wickets seven to nine added 99 priceless runs. Prior could have gone on 17, when Jacques Rudolph spilled a low chance at gully, with England on 297 for 6. That could yet prove a crucial moment in this game, although there are many twists and turns to come.
On a cloudy, muggy, day South Africa did not find life easy at the start of their innings, either. In his second over Anderson produced a pin-point inswinger to trap Petersen lbw and Graeme Smith was not always comfortable. The head-to-head between Anderson and Steyn will be an enduring image of this series.
Steyn was curiously subdued on the opening day, sending down 21 wicketless overs and needing treatment off the field on his ankle, but emerged on Friday morning with a performance much more akin to the No. 1 fast bowler in the world. In the third over of the day he removed Cook, England's lynchpin, who added just one to his overnight score when he dragged a drive into his stumps.
That opened the way for his Essex team-mate, Bopara, to resume his Test career at No. 6 but it was not a happy comeback. The ball after a loud shot for lbw from Steyn - the delivery was just clipping leg stump - Bopara was left in two minds how to play a bouncer. He was caught between hooking and leaving, which resulted in him dangling his bat high in the air and feathering an edge to AB de Villiers.
The quality of the bowling - Steyn's pace and Vernon Philander's subtle swing - kept England's batsmen virtually scoreless. The opening eight overs of the day brought six runs for the loss of the two key wickets. Prior picked up the first boundary of the day when offered some rare width by Steyn, but was involved in a horrid mix-up with Ian Bell next ball that could have led to another wicket.
Prior played the ball to point, thought he had found the gap and raced off for a single only for Petersen to collect the ball with both batsmen stranded mid-pitch. However, no one had managed to reach the stumps and Petersen's throw missed the target to give England a reprieve.
Yet it was only momentary relief for the home side. Jacques Kallis was introduced as first change and produced an opening over of the highest class to dislodge Bell. He began with two outswingers, one booming wide of the stumps, before making a delivery hold its line. Then, with the fourth ball of the over, he produced a delivery which nipped back, Bell shouldered arms and the ball grazed the off bail. Kallis initially appealed for lbw before realising the job was already done. England had lost 4 for 33 going back to Kevin Pietersen's gloved pull on Thursday evening and the game looked very different.
Much has been made of England's lower-order strength and this was one of their biggest challenges. The four-pronged pace attack offered few poor deliveries, although Morkel was the least consistent and Prior took advantage with a pull, a drive and a cut to relieve a little of the pressure.
Having started to steady the innings it will have been galling for England that a poor delivery from Imran Tahir broke the seventh-wicket stand. As with Kallis, Tahir struck in his first over when Bresnan dragged a long hop into his stumps. South Africa then used up both their reviews trying to dislodge Broad - one with Philander and one with Tahir - the latter taking nearly half a minute to ask for, which is stretching the playing conditions beyond their limits.
Prior and Broad resumed after lunch with a positive mindset as boundaries started to flow. Prior led the way with a series of wonderful drives, but Broad wasn't lost in comparison as he drove Steyn off the back foot through cover. Philander broke the counter-attack when he swung one back into Broad although England did not block their way through the rest of the innings.
Swann was clonked on the helmet second ball by Steyn, but responded by swatting the fast bowler for two boundaries in his next over. Swann is unlikely to miss the opportunity to remind his team-mates that he was the one left stranded at the end after Prior edged Morkel and Anderson gloved down the leg side four balls later. That made it five catches for de Villiers in a very competent display as Mark Boucher's replacement.