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Three and a half days talking of the pitch being flat had vanished in thin air as hosts South Africa find themselves on the brink of a defeat at 76 for 6! SA are still trailing behind by 156 runs and have just Mark Boucher left with the bowlers to possibly avoid an innings defeat.
It was magic from both ends with Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad bowling at their very best that triggered a dramatic collapse. England had declared their first innings at 575 for 9 with Ian Bell scoring a fluent 141. Matt Prior scored a brisk 60 to help Bell put on a big partnership. England finished with a handsome lead of 232.
South Africa were doing alright against the pacers but when Graeme Swann was introduced in the 10th over, things started to turn around. First Swann produced a bat pad inside edge off Prince which was taken brilliantly by Bell at silly point. Swann followed it up by defeating a big off drive from Amla to bowl him through the gate with a classical well flighted turning off break. Stuart Broad getting into the attack complemented Swann by taking three wickets in quick succession as SA slipped to 44 for 5!
Kallis was the first wicket of Broad offering no shot to a full length inswinger to lose his off stump. AB de Villiers, who had survived a confident caught behind off Swann was lbw offering no shot to a Broad inswinger. Left handed JP Duminy was also out offering no shot to Broad, this one being an away going ball which he dragged onto the stumps off the inside edge. Just before bad light halted any further play, Skipper Graeme Smith shuffled way too across to miss a drifter from Swann to get struck infront of the leg stump.
South Africa ended the dramatic fourth day’s play at 76 for 6 in 32 overs. The gutsy Mark Boucher is on 20 along with Morne Morkel who is on 7. Swann picked up his three wickets in 12 overs while Broad took his three wickets in 9 overs. South Africa had lost six wickets for the addition of 23 runs in the space of a little under 12 overs!