Close Pakistan 161 and 218 for 8 (Youhana 42) lead South Africa 368 by 11 runs
Scorecard

Pakistan self-destructed spectacularly in the last two sessions of the third day to leave South Africa within sniffing distance of a comprehensive win. After following on 207 runs in the arrears, Pakistan crumbled to 218 for 8 in their second innings - a lead of just 11 - before bad light ensured that play would extend into the fourth day.

For the second time in the match, Pakistan's openers gave them a splendid start, but the middle order seemed in a hurry to hand back the initiative to the South Africans. In conditions which were the most batsman-friendly of the Test so far - the sun was out for most of the day - and against an attack that was at best disciplined, the batsmen queued up to negate that advantage. Their top eight all crossed 10, but no one managed more than Yousuf Youhana's 42.

In the first innings, Taufeeq Umar and Salim Elahi had put together 77. This time, they added 50 and stayed together for 27 overs, blunting the new ball with gutsy defence and sound temperament. It was a lesson that was lost on the rest of the batsmen.

Makhaya Ntini provided the breakthrough immediately after lunch, having Elahi (18) edge a low catch to Graeme Smith at second slip (50 for 1). Taufeeq showed some pleasing strokes to go with a tight technique, but when he left for 39, pinned on the back foot by a Nicky Boje delivery which spun back sharply, it marked the beginning of the end of Pakistan's resistance.

Inzamam-ul-Haq laboured 49 balls for his 13, surviving a confident lbw shout off Shaun Pollock on the way, before stroking a ball from Boje to Herschelle Gibbs at cover (88 for 3). It was another infuriatingly soft dismissal for him, and allowed South Africa to wrest control.

Younis Khan and Faisal Iqbal fell victims to poor technique. A picture of restraint through most of his innings of 30, Younis attempted a pull when Jacques Kallis pitched short, then changed his mind but allowed his bat and gloves to hang in the air. The ball kissed the gloves and presented Mark Boucher with a regulation catch (132 for 4). More misery followed soon when Faisal stepped too far inside a Kallis delivery, and lost his leg stump (156 for 5).

Youhana kept the fight going with some superb drives square of the wicket and down the ground, showing no discomfort from a swollen left eye caused by a ball which struck him during the morning nets. He sped to 42 from just 47 balls, then played an expansive upper-cut off Nantie Hayward straight down Neil McKenzie's throat at third man (184 for 6).

Abdul Razzaq kept the generosity going, gloving a catch down the leg side off Hayward for 22 (199 for 7), and before bad light halted play, Shaun Pollock had his first wicket of the innings as well.

Earlier, Pakistan narrowly failed to avoid the follow-on despite a spirited assault from Waqar Younis and Kamran Akmal which brought 41 runs off 5.2 overs. Their strategy almost worked, and it took a superb slower ball from Hayward to rescue a situation which was all of South Africa's own making.

They dropped two catches from consecutive overs off Ntini, and Waqar almost made them pay for it, spanking 28 runs before being foxed by Hayward's clever change of pace, giving the bowler his first five-for in Test cricket. By close of play, Hayward had added two more victims to take his match scalp to an impressive seven.

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