South African openers Dean Elgar and Sarel Erwee erased South Africa’s first innings deficit of 40 runs before Erwee was dismissed for 26 just before lunch on the fourth day of the third test against England on Sunday with the tourists reaching 70-1, a lead of 30 runs.
Captain Elgar was unbeaten 35 at the break with Keegan Petersen on seven.
Earlier England added just four more runs to their overnight score before being dismissed for 158 to claim a first innings lead of 40 runs. Having been 84-2 at tea on Saturday it meant they had lost their last eight wickets for 74.
Marco Jansen (5-35) claimed the final wicket to finish with a maiden five-wicket haul while Kagiso Rabada claimed two of the final three wickets to finish with 4-81 from 13 overs.
Resuming on 154-7 England lost their first wicket to the second ball of the day when Ollie Robinson (3) tamely drove a full-length delivery from Rabada to Dean Elgar at mid-off. Jack Leach (0) inside-edged a shorter Rabada delivery onto his stumps in Rabada’s next over but Jansen was not to be denied his career-best when an angled delivery across right-hander Ben Foakes (14) was safely pouched at third slip by Keegan Petersen.
Both Elgar and Erwee lived charmed lives during their opening stand of 58 with England using, and losing a review against each of them, Erwee for lbw on five and Elgar for a catch behind when on 24.
Ben Stokes finally brought himself to bowl his first over the match in the 16th over and had Erwee caught by Joe Root at first slip with a full-length delivery, just the third of his first over.
South Africa were dismissed for just 118 on the third morning of the test – effectively the first day following a washout on Thursday day and the cancellation of the second day on Friday – but South Africa fought their way back into the contest with seven wickets before the close of play.
ENGLAND: Alex Lees, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Ben Foakes, Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad, Jack Leach, James Anderson
SOUTH AFRICA: Dean Elgar (captain), Sarel Erwee, Keegan Petersen, Ryan Rickelton, Khaya Zondo, Kyle Verreynne, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje.