Australia seamers Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris take seven wickets
Tourists bowl out Proteas as they secure firm grip on third test with an overall lead of 234 runs
Australia took a firm grip on the third test as seamers Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris snared seven wickets between them to bowl South Africa out for 287 on day three Monday at Newlands.
While Johnson combined pace and aggression to raise his series tally to 19 wickets in five innings, Harris found reverse swing to claim three key wickets as South Africa conceded a first-innings deficit of 207.
Faf du Plessis and Alviro Petersen were the only batsmen to score half centuries for South Africa, who were bowled out within a day after Michael Clarke declared Australia’s first innings on its overnight total of 494 for seven.
Clarke elected not to enforce the follow-on, and Australia advanced to 27 without loss at stumps to take an overall lead of 234 runs with two days to play.
Australia’s decision to declare overnight after a session and a half was lost to rain on Sunday proved a good one, as their seamers found early movement.
In the fifth over, Harris had captain Graeme Smith caught behind for five by Brad Haddin, who was soon in action again to take a spectacular one-handed grab after James Pattinson found the inside edge of Dean Elgar’s bat. Elgar made 11.