England have opened the door to taking the win that will level the series with two Tests to go. They have done it by stealth, diligence and a touch of flair on the first two days and then yesterday with some mighty bowling from Andy Caddick.

The Somerset pace-man has bowled well enough in this series without much luck, but yesterday, on a pitch which had gathered some pace, he collected his dues by taking seven for 46, which at one stage had been six for 18. They were the best figures by a visiting bowler in a Kingsmead Test and the best by an England bowler since Angus Fraser huffed and puffed to eight for 53 against West Indies in Trinidad two winters ago. So incisive was Caddick that one tumultuous over brought three South African wickets.

Only Shaun Pollock, with a door-die half-century, threatened to wrest away the control that Nasser Hussain's sparky leadership and the effort of the bowlers had given England. But he threw away his wicket extravagantly, and when Paul Adams chipped Darren Gough's slower ball to give Chris Silverwood at mid-on the gentlest of catches to finish the innings, South Africa, all out for 156, were still 11 runs short of avoiding the follow-on.

The last time England had gained a first-innings lead over anyone was in the first Test of the home series against these same opponents the summer before last, which also happens to be the last time South Africa conceded such a lead to anyone.

With the gloom descending once more as the late-afternoon cloud rolled in, Hussain must have thought hard about asking for a renewed effort from his bowlers. Although officially a minimum of 202 further overs will be bowled in this match, allowing for lost time to be made up, time remains of the essence. However, the hazards of batting last on a deteriorating surface, should South Africa make a better fist of things second time around, must have crossed his mind too, though England's experience earlier in this tour suggests that recent pitches at Kingsmead become easier for batting as the game progresses.

So Hussain asked South Africa to bat again, and in the six overs possible before the light closed in they had reduced the deficit by 27. Doing the job second time around will not be as simple for England.

Quite how much the axing of Jonty Rhodes has fragmented the South African dressing room is a matter of conjecture but there have been rumours of pre-match barneys. Neither would Hussain's refusal to take the bait flung outside the off stump during his hours of vigil have helped their demeanour.

They do not enjoy the thought that they are fallible and may yet regret the reluctance of their captain Hansie Cronje to go for the jugular on the fourth evening in Port Elizabeth. As England have learned to their cost all too often, chances, once created, must not be frittered away.

What rubs in the salt is that Cronje's side, in following on, have had an indignity heaped upon them that no South African side have felt for 33 years, and not against England since two years before that.

Caddick had to wait for his chance in the morning, first owing to a start delayed by an hour because of a wet outfield and then, after Hussain had declared the England innings, for a further 25 minutes because of shenanigans with the use of various rollers. From the beginning, though, he strode in with purpose, venom and pace, extracting real bounce where none had existed before in the match. Three times in his first five overs Alec Stewart was leaping behind the stumps to take the catches that dismissed Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis - Caddick's 100th Test victim - and Gary Kirsten.

After lunch Gough knocked Daryll Cullinan's leg stump from the ground, and after Lance Klusener began to threaten in his usual manner Phil Tufnell, bowling around the wicket and at the batsman's leg stump, had him well caught by Darren Maddy off bat-pad.

Caddick's 11th over, the first of a new spell as Hussain again rang the changes splendidly, knocked the heart out of South Africa. The first ball was full and floaty but Cronje nibbled indifferently and Stewart took his fourth catch. Two balls later Mark Boucher somehow deflected the ball on to his off stump from the toe end of his bat, and two balls after that Allan Donald edged a straightforward catch to Mike Atherton at first slip.

Pollock's hitting upset Caddick's equilibrium, and that of Tufnell before tea, and he added 70 for the ninth wicket with Adams which might have proved decisive. But Caddick had his revenge when the all-rounder dragged the ball on to his stumps.