Australia were winning the battle of the fast men but it wasn't Brett Lee who surged the home team back into the series. After Dale Steyn, the form bowler of 2008, stormed to five wickets in the opening session, South Africa's top order was knocked over by Peter Siddle, a 24-year-old Victorian who is growing as a Test quick in front of his home crowd.
Siddle's knowledge of the surface helped gain him a start after the disappointing defeat in Perth, and he was responsible for driving Australia to a position of strength with 3 for 24 from 13 overs as they attempt to level the three-match contest. At stumps South Africa were in severe trouble at 7 for 198, still 196 behind Australia's first-innings 394, which grew in value with each wicket.
Steyn collected three breakthroughs before lunch to capture 5 for 87, but by the end of the day the 114 runs Michael Clarke marshalled from Australia's lower order in that session was the most important early development. From there they controlled the South Africans in a style that was familiar to the country's previous outfits. Once again it looks as if Graeme Smith's side is better as a chaser instead of a leader.
Smith followed his 108 in Perth with a committed 62 that held the top order together until he departed to a clever plan from Siddle. The dismissal switched South Africa to survival mode and JP Duminy was the only specialist left to deal with the problems. He reached a calm 34 at the close and should not expect much help from the remaining batsmen.
In his second spell Siddle was trying to force Smith, who was starting to appear affected by his nagging elbow injury, to hit down the ground instead of square on the offside and between midwicket and square-leg.
AB de Villiers, who spent 24 balls on zero, was a different man from the hero of Perth and followed Smith on 7 when beaten for pace by Siddle. Siddle appealed loudly for an lbw until his team-mates pointed to the broken stumps and he smiled like it was a surprise birthday party. South Africa were 5 for 132 and Siddle had his third wicket, which came in a six-over spell of 2 for 12.
In between Siddle's first and second wickets the offspinner Nathan Hauritz benefited from a poor mistake by Jacques Kallis, who was so comfortable until trying to dab a sweep in the over before lunch. The ball bounced off Kallis' glove, Haddin had an easy take, and the Australians were buzzing at the end of a 63-run stand between the tourists' most experienced pair.
South Africa had let Australia off in the morning when Clarke's 88 boosted the Australian total significantly. While Steyn was hurting the bowlers, Clarke was providing discomfort for the visitors, who will look back at his innings as the first major turning point.
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SCOREBOARD
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South Africa 1st innings:
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GC Smith c Haddin b Siddle 62
ND McKenzie b Siddle 0
HM Amla c Symonds b Johnson 19
JH Kallis c Haddin b Hauritz 26
AB de Villiers b Siddle 7
Duminy not out 34
MV Boucher c Hussey b Hauritz 3
M Morkel b Johnson 21
PL Harris not out 8
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Extras: (lb 4, nb 14) 18
Total: (7 wickets; 63 overs) 198
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To bat: DW Steyn, M Ntini
Fall of wickets: 1-1 (McKenzie, 1.4 ov), 2-39 (Amla, 8.3 ov), 3-102 (Kallis, 26.4 ov), 4-126 (Smith, 37.6 ov), 5-132 (de Villiers, 41.5 ov), 6-141 (Boucher, 46.4 ov), 7-184 (Morkel, 57.1 ov)
Bowling (O M R W Econ): B Lee 13 2 68 0 5.23 (7nb), PM Siddle 13 3 24 3 1.84 (4nb), MG Johnson 17 3 53 2 3.11 (2nb), NM Hauritz 20 6 49 2 2.45 (1nb)
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Australia 1st innings:
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ML Hayden c Duminy b Ntini 8
SM Katich b Steyn 54
RT Ponting c Amla b Harris 101
MEK Hussey c Boucher b Steyn 0
MJ Clarke not out 88
A Symonds c Kallis b Morkel 27
BJ Haddin c Smith b Ntini 40
B Lee c Kallis b Steyn 21
MG Johnson b Steyn 0
NM Hauritz c Smith b Steyn 12
PM Siddle c de Villiers b Kallis 19
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Extras: (b 5, lb 12, nb 7) 24
Total: (all out; 113.4 overs) 394
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