South Africa were today closing in on the world No1 spot as they left England with a mountain to climb to save the Third Test.
The tourists removed Ian Bell and James Taylor in the first hour to leave England, who needed a record-breaking 346 to level the series and stay No1 in the ICC rankings, 45 for four and two more wickets followed in the space of 40 minutes after the lunch interval.
Taylor was run out in farcical fashion before rising star Jonny Bairstow led a brief but futile counter-attack.
South Africa thrashed England in the First Test at The Kia Oval and although the second match at Headingley was drawn, they have won most of the decisive moments in the series and were hugely confident of wrapping up victory at the start of the day.
In what were testing overcast conditions early on prompting the floodlights to be turned on, England’s mood darkened when Bell edged all-rounder Vernon Philander to first slip and Taylor and Jonathan Trott had their damaging mix-up.
Taylor had turned for the fourth run but he was sent back to the striker’s end by Trott and was left well short out of his ground.
Bairstow struck seven fours in reaching 43 not out at lunch from just 36 deliveries and moved to his second fifty of the match soon after the interval.
He and Trott put on 89 from 102 balls before Bairstow was bowled by leg-spinner Imran Tahir for 54.
Trott also reached the milestone and might have felt he owed his team-mates after his involvement in Taylor’s dismal run out. However, his innings ended when he was brilliantly caught in the slips by Jacques Kallis off Dale Steyn.
