South Africa took nine wickets after tea to level their three match series against Australia on the fourth day of the second Test at St George’s Park yesterday.
Set 448 to win, Australia were bowled out for 216 after South Africa claimed the extra half hour with Australia seven down at the scheduled close.
South Africa took four top order wickets for four runs shortly after tea to swing the game in their favour with the world No1 Test bowler Dale Steyn taking four of the wickets that fell after tea to finish with four for 55.
Chris Rogers and David Warner put on 126 for the first wicket, scoring at more than four runs an over and Rogers then fought a lone battle before being ninth man out, run out for 107.
Part-time off-spinner JP Duminy made the crucial ealry breakthrough when he trapped Warner leg before wicket for a sparkling 66, made off 73 balls.
The scoring rate slowed after Warner's dismissal but Australia still looked comfortable at 141 for one at tea.
Alex Doolan struggled for more than an hour, scoring only five runs off 43 balls before he was caught at first slip off Morne Morkel.
Shaun Marsh, who made 148 and 44 in the first Test in Centurion, was out first ball, trapped in front by a full delivery from Vernon Philander, making it a pair for the left-hander, who faced only two balls in the first innings without scoring.
Steyn claimed the key wicket of Australian captain Michael Clarke, who edged low to second slip, where Faf du Plessis held a good catch, tumbling to his right.
Steyn, who was gaining reverse swing, had Steve Smith leg before with a full delivery which swung in to the right-hander and ten runs later Steyn’s fast reverse swing sent Brad Haddin’s middle stump flying.
Mitchell Johnson stayed long enough to see Rogers to his century but became a fourth lbw victim when Philander’s appeal was turned down by umpire Richard Illingworth but South Africa sought a review which showed the ball was hitting leg stump.
Rogers, who scored only ten runs in his first three innings of the series, looked in good touch from the start of his innings, taking advantage of some over-pitched deliveries early on and almost keeping pace with Warner during what was easily the most productive opening partnership by either side during the series.
Ryan Harris was leg before to Steyn in the first of the extra overs and Rogers was then out to a direct hit from mid-off by substitute fielder Alviro Petersen, trying to keep the strike.
With the umpires having looked at their light meters, South Africa used spin from both ends and left-armer Dean Elgar finished the match when Lyon was given out leg before.
Australian captain Michael Clarke paid tribute Steyn's destructive spell, admitting: “We were outplayed with both bat and ball.”
He said the key was the fast reverse swing bowling of all three South African pacemen but he singled out Steyn for special praise.
“You’ve seen a class bowler bowling consistently at 140-145ks (kilometres per hour), executing his skills as well as you will see in international cricket.
He added: “We knew the best time to bat in the second innings was against the new ball. We knew the hardest period was going to be once the ball got old and batsmen had to start their innings against reverse swing.”
