Starting the day on an even keel, Pakistan ended the day in a precarious position at 140-4 off 37 overs with both the openers, seasoned Younis Khan and prolific Mohammad Yousuf already back in the dressing room.
The hosts are still in a deficit of 217 and need a further 18 runs to avoid the follow-on with six wickets intact. Former Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq, playing his last Test, and Misbah-ul-Haq were unbeaten with 10 each at the stumps.
With only one more recognised batsman in shape of captain Shoaib Malik remaining in the ranks, the task appears to be an uphill one for the hosts.
For once in many an innings, Pakistan got an ideal start with Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt putting a quickfire 90 for the first wicket. Both the players matched each other stroke for stroke to post the first 50 off just 45 balls.
South African captain Greame Smith, who had placed an attacking field for the two openers with three slips and two gullies, failed to check the onslaught from Salman and Kamran who slammed a number of boundaries through cover and mid-wicket off Steyn, Nel and Ntini. Soon after passing the 50-run mark, Kamran survived a chance when Ashwell Prince dropped him at point off spinner Paul Harris who later finished the day with two wickets for 33 runs.
Pakistan took the tea-break at 51 for no wicket and when the final session of the day commenced, the opening pair took the score to 90 in little time.
However, Salman’s dismissal for a 68-ball 40 off an unnecessary sweep on a Harris delivery triggered a batting collapse as Pakistan lost three quick wickets for the addition of only 50 runs.
Younis Khan played a poor shot to get clean bowled off an Andre Nel inswinger with the total reading 93-2. The score had barely reached 99 when Kamran also lost his wicket to Harris with Smith taking a brilliant diving catch at cover to put Pakistan in deep trouble.
In came Inzamam amidst thunderous applause from the crowd as the entire South African team welcomed him to the crease – a gesture which underlined his recognition as one of the finest batsmen in the world.
Inzamam alongwith Yousuf could, however, add only 24 in their fourth-wicket stand before the latter, in a bid to pull medium-pacer Dale Steyn over mid-wicket, missed the line and got a debatable leg before verdict from umpire Mark Benson. Yousuf scored 25 with three hits to the fence.
Earlier, South Africans resumed their first innings at the overnight score of 259-6, pinning enough hopes on Mark Boucher to take them to a challenging total.
Umar Gul struck in the very first over of the day with a sharp, short delivery that compelled Nel to scoop one to short leg without any addition to the total.
But then started an unlikely rearguard from Boucher and Harris who frustrated the hosts with a dour 160-minute eight-wicket stand that realised 88 precious runs.
It was Umar Gul once again who broke the partnership, dismissing Harris (46, six fours) on a superb ball as he was caught by Shoaib Malik at cover.
Danish Kaneria then wrapped up the innings with two quick wickets – first clean bowling Dale Steyn for a duck and then having Boucher caught at long-on by Abdul Rehman for a solid 54 which was laced with four boundaries and a six during a marathon stay of 226 minutes.
Shoaib Malik’s captaincy was less than convincing on this second day as he continued to use Abdul Rahman sparingly for some unknown reason while his field placings and bowling changes were largely unimaginative. It will need a heroic innings from at least one of the three recognised batsmen to take Pakistan to a position of strength if not of command on Wednesday.
Scorebaord
SOUTH AFRICA 1st Innings (overnight 259-6)
H.H Gibbs c Misbah b Umar 13
G.C. Smith b Kaneria 46
H.M. Amla b Asif 10
J.H. Kallis lbw Kaneria 59
A.G. Prince b Rehman 63
A.B. de Villiers run out 45
M.V. Boucher c Rehman b Kaneria 54
A. Nel c Misbah b Umar 0
P.J. Harris c Malik b Umar 46
D. Steyn b Kaneria 0
M. Ntini not out 0
EXTRAS: (LB-2, W-7, NB-7, 5 penalty runs) 21
TOTAL: (all out, 125.1 overs) 357
FALL OF WKTS: 1-24, 2-47, 3-100, 4-160, 5-243, 6-259, 7-259, 8-347, 9-350
BOWLING: Asif 34-9-83-1, Umar 29-4-103-3 (W-7, NB-6), Kaneria 43.1-5-114-4, Rehman 14-5-30-1, Malik 5-0-20-0 (NB-1)
PAKISTAN 1st Innings
Salman Butt c Smith b Harris 40
Kamran Akmal c Smith b Harris 52
Younis Khan b Nel 3
Mohammad Yousuf lbw Steyn 25
Inzamam-ul-Haq not out 10
Misbah-ul-Haq not out 10
TOTAL: (for 4 wkts, 37 overs) 140
FALL OF WKTS: 1-90, 2-93, 3-99, 4-123
BOWLING: Ntini 5-0-36-0, Steyn 8-1-48-1, Nel 10-3-23-1, Harris 14-4-33-2