CRICKET:Two wickets from Dale Steyn and another from Paul Harris put South Africa firmly in command at tea on day one of the third Test with Australia reaching the break at 158 for five.
Proteas paceman Steyn bowled Michael Hussey and then Michael Clarke within the space of three deliveries at the start of the session, before a half-century stand between Simon Katich and Brad Haddin helped Australia rebuild.
But with 12 minutes remaining before tea, opener Katich top-edged slow left-armer Harris to debutant Imraan Khan, who had dropped him earlier in the day for 55, leaving the tourists heavily relying on Haddin (42 not out) and the tail-enders to try to build a respectable first innings total.
Resuming after lunch with Australia 66 for two, the home side did not have long to wait to claim the third wicket.
It came in Steyn’s second over when Hussey, who had just reached the 3000-run mark in Test cricket, received a ball that kicked back off the pitch. He played it into the ground and it bounced back, clipping the bails for 20.
In the very next over by Makhaya Ntini, Katich received a ball that straightened as the South Africans all went up in a loud appeal.
Umpire Steve Bucknor gave it not out and the hosts went upstairs, which proved a wrong call as Billy Bowden ruled in favour of the batsman after a slight edge was detected.
However, Steyn came back with the first ball of his next over to clean up the new man Clarke for a third-ball duck to leave the tourists reeling at 81 for four.
Haddin and Katich dug in though, with the latter bringing up a patient 138-ball fifty when he played Ntini through mid-off for a single.
And just as Australia looked to be heading into lunch with four wickets down, Harris claimed a fifth when he tempted Katich into an attempted sweep, but the batsman only succeeded in lifting the ball to Khan on the leg side.
Andrew McDonald joined Haddin at the crease and was nought not out at the break.
Earlier, after winning his sixth successive toss against the South Africans, Ricky Ponting opted to bat first as his team looked to complete a 3-0 series whitewash.
Ntini had a loud shout for lbw against Katich in the eighth over, but it was turned down by umpire Asad Rauf. The home team referred the decision but to no avail as the visitors rode their luck through the first part of the morning.
The fast bowler again had reason to feel aggrieved against the same batsman in the 14th over when Katich was dropped on nine by Khan at backward point.
Katich survived a further scare midway through the 22nd over when the other debutant Albie Morkel thought he had him caught behind by Mark Boucher, but umpire Rauf was not moved and the South Africans this time opted not to go for the review.
Hughes was then dropped on 33 by JP Duminy at short cover off Harris but his reprieve lasted only two balls before the slow left-armer snared his man lbw.
In the following over, the Proteas picked up the prize scalp of Ponting, who was on the receiving end of a fine outswinger from Morkel and edged behind to Boucher without troubling the scorers.