Saleem Elahi fell to Ntini trying to pull and mistiming to short mid-wicket and was brilliantly caught by Neil McKenzie diving forward. Pakistan had suddenly lost two wickets and the old firm of Youhana and Inzamam trying to rebuild a partnership.

They batted sensibly for a while taking the odd single and Inzamam looked in form but when he had hit 18 off 21 balls Ntini got one to bounce awkwardly from just back of a length and Inzamam had to try fending it off his head only to pop a catch to leg and Ntini ran to hold it himself. Pakistan now looked in lots of trouble at 107 for 4 still trailing by 261.

Faisal Iqbal joined Youhana and after losing these quick wickets the pair were trying to save the follow-on. But an hour after tea Pakistan lost him to a suicidal run out, trying to get back after Youhana had refused a single to leg. It now looked difficult that a follow on would be saved as all-rounder Abdul Razzaq came in with Pakistan in serious trouble at 119 for 5.

Kallis taking over from Pollock had a few leg before decisions turned down before Boje put Elahi down at slip when on 27 and Pakistan 52 without loss. The fifty having come up in 87 minutes, off 120 balls.

Hayward, who has not touched a ball in six weeks, and at his own admission “surprised to be included”, lacked the pace he has shown in the past making him ineffective.

The longer Umar stayed at the crease the better he started playing, unleashing some powerfully timed straight drives that left the fielders standing.

Hayward somehow produced the ball that got the break through, when Umar in trying to pull the bat away from a lifter outside the off bladed it on the loop to third slip bringing a patient innings of 39 to an end and Pakistan 77 for the loss of one.

At tea Pakistan have moved to 81/1 with Elahi on 37 and Younis Khan on one.

Umar, on one, was lucky to survive a caught behind chance off Ntini when umpire Bucknor turned down the appeal. In defence of the umpire it took four television replays to show that there might have been a touch.

Together the two at the crease saw off the first hour with Umar going to 13 and Elahi 14 while Pakistan moved to 29 without loss.

With only four bowlers at his disposal Waqar had used them well with Saqlain taking 4-119 off 37 overs, Sami 3-92 off 26 overs and the captain himself 3-91 off 25. The only bowler not to get a wicket was Abdur Razzaq.

The overcast condition was helping the new ball to swing a great deal more than at the same time on day one. Keeping it full, to allow for the swing, gave Boucher and Nicky Boje a license to show their powers on the front foot playing some classic cover drives.

In going to 31, Boucher reaffirmed his status as one of the best wicket keepers in the game by becoming the eighth keeper in Test cricket to score 2,000 runs and make 200 dismissals in a career.

The 300 came up 415 minutes with runs flowing off the bat since the appearance of the new ball. In eleven overs the new ball brought up 51 runs forcing the re-introduction of Saqlain.

Near success for the off spinner in his first over, getting one to turn and bounce across Boje who edged between the keeper and first slip for a fortunate boundary.

Boucher was putting a little gem of an innings together. Coming in against the reverse swing of Waqar and Sami and then having to contend with the new ball he went to his 12th Test fifty with a on drive off Saqlain. His fifty coming off 100 balls and included six sparkling boundaries.

Boucher’s first false shot, trying to work Saqlain to the on side, ended his innings when inside edging into the pad to short leg for 55 excellent runs and South Africa 344/8.

Three balls later Makhaya Ntini, almost predictably, swung at the first floater from Saqlain, to be very well caught at long on with Tafeeq Umar leaping high to take the catch well above his head.

Mornantau Hayward, after a swish and a lecture from Boje, helped the score past 350 for South Africa to go to lunch at 362/9 with Boje on 33 and Hayward on eight.

The start seemed to be 30 minutes too early for Kallis who, as if he was still asleep, shouldered arms to a fairly straight ball from Sami, angling in with a hint of reverse swing, to uproot his off stump for 105 and South Africa six down for 252.

Waqar may also have been affected by the early start with a wild reverse swinging return from mid on to the keeper that raced away to the fine leg boundary for four overthrows.

The new ball having been taken after 82 overs saw an end to the reverse swing with Shaun Pollock racing to 19 off 20 balls with three boundaries, and Mark Boucher moving to 25 with drinks being taken on 284/6.