South Africa stare down the barrel

Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad took England to the brink of victory as South Africa collapsed on the fourth day of the second Test at Kingsmead.

Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad took England to the brink of victory as South Africa collapsed on the fourth day of the second Test at Kingsmead on Tuesday.

HT Image

South Africa, trailing by 232 runs on the first innings, were 76 for six when bad light gave the home team a reprieve until the final day on Wednesday.

The hosts will resume needing 156 to avoid an innings defeat. Off-spinner Swann and fast bowler Broad took three wickets each as South Africa’s top six batsmen were blown away in less than an hour of play on either side of tea.

There were no signs of a potential batting collapse earlier in the day when England took their first innings total to 575 for nine declared, with Ian Bell hitting 141.

England’s batsmen had

virtually no problems against the South African bowlers on an easy-paced pitch but it seemed a different game when Swann and Broad got to work.

In his first over of an innings, Swann dismissed Prince with his second ball, caught by Bell off bat and pad at silly-mid-off.

He followed up two overs later by bowling Hashim Amla in the last over before tea.

Six balls after tea, Jacques Kallis padded up to a ball from Broad which cut back and hit the top of his off stump.

AB de Villiers also elected to pad up to Broad four overs later ans was given leg before. He asked for a television review but the decision was upheld.

JP Duminy was bowled when he tried to withdraw his bat from a lifting delivery and played the ball onto his stumps.

With the floodlights on and the light deteriorating Smith was sixth out when he was caught trapped leg before by Swann. Mark Boucher and Morne Morkel survived until bad light ended play with 16 overs remaining. Earlier, Bell and Matt Prior put on 112 for the sixth wicket which wrecked SA’s hopes of making a breakthrough early in the day.