A masterful spell of swing bowling by Australia seamer Ryan Harris either side of lunch left South Africa in deep trouble as the hosts reached tea on 200-6 on the third day of third Test.
After removing South Africa captain Graeme Smith in the fifth over of the innings, Harris returned to find reverse swing and dismiss Hashim Amla and JP Duminy to leave the South African innings in tatters at 146-6.
Faf du Plessis made the most of the three lives granted to him to revive the innings with Vernon Philander, scoring an unbeaten 42 as the pair gave the Proteas a chance of avoiding the follow-on.
Michael Clarke had declared Australia’s innings on its overnight total of 494-7.
