DURBAN // Andrew Strauss almost single-handedly wiped out the damage inflicted by South Africa's last-wicket stand as England reached tea 59 without loss in reply to 343 at Kingsmead.
Dale Steyn dominated a partnership of 58 with Makhaya Ntini to push the balance of the second Test in the hosts' favour on the second afternoon in Durban.
But Strauss raised the stakes again with an unbeaten 50 at better than a run-a-ball, dispatching eight fours ? including three in one Ntini over ? in less than an hour's batting alongside near silent partner Alastair Cook.
Jacques Kallis' wish last night for a first-innings 350, from 175 for five, appeared an optimistic target ? and the hosts seemed destined soon after lunch to fall short of 300.
But Steyn had other ideas, taking a particular liking to Graeme Swann (four for 110), on the way to 343 all out by mid-afternoon.
That prosperity was an unlikely prospect when play got under way half an hour early, to make up for lost time. this morning, with the floodlights in action under heavy cloud cover.
But overnight pair Mark Boucher and AB de Villiers took advantage of a pitch which provided little for the old ball, in a stand of 63.
England's lines and lengths were not quite as reliable as they had been yesterday.
There were also a series of half-chances through the morning which they might possibly have taken, but nothing clear-cut and deserving of significant self-reproach.
Perhaps the most telling was when De Villiers pushed a single off Swann on 18, just past short-leg Alastair Cook on the full.
England finally registered their first Decision Review System (DRS) success of the series, however, when Swann broke the sixth-wicket stand with a delivery which turned enough into Boucher to beat the bat and hit pad.
Umpire Amiesh Saheba had to overturn his original not out, after plenty of initial deliberation from England over whether to review and then from the third official too.
The cost to the flow of the game was around two and a half minutes, but England certainly were not complaining.
With the new ball unsurprisingly taken immediately, De Villiers comfortably survived another DRS lbw call on 46 off James Anderson and was able to reach his 50 off 96 balls.
But he got no further before Stuart Broad struck with only the second delivery of a new spell, finding enough swing to take the edge of an attempted drive for a regulation caught behind.
Andrew Strauss took the unusual step of recalling Swann's off-spin with the ball only nine overs old.
The ploy worked too before lunch, Paul Harris instinctively reviewing Saheba's lbw verdict when he was hit in front sweeping but having to go anyway despite a possible video hint that the ball might have hit glove before pad.
Swann won his third lbw to shift Morne Morkel in early afternoon but with England's reviews used up, had to accept a not out against Ntini, playing no shot on two.
It proved a big moment too, Ntini supporting Steyn as the latter threatened to hit Swann out of the attack until he fenced a catch behind off Anderson just three runs short of his second Test 50.
* PA Sport
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
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THE BIO
Age: 33
Favourite quote: “If you’re going through hell, keep going” Winston Churchill
Favourite breed of dog: All of them. I can’t possibly pick a favourite.
Favourite place in the UAE: The Stray Dogs Centre in Umm Al Quwain. It sounds predictable, but it honestly is my favourite place to spend time. Surrounded by hundreds of dogs that love you - what could possibly be better than that?
Favourite colour: All the colours that dogs come in
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Thursday (All UAE kick-off times)
Sevilla v Real Betis (midnight)
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
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The biog
Place of birth: Kalba
Family: Mother of eight children and has 10 grandchildren
Favourite traditional dish: Al Harees, a slow cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled cracked or coarsely ground wheat mixed with meat or chicken
Favourite book: My early life by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah
Favourite quote: By Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father, “Those who have no past will have no present or future.”
A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars
Volvo ES90 Specs
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Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
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The White Lotus: Season three
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Company Profile
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Industry: E-grocery
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Future plan: Raise $1.5m and enter Saudi Arabia next year
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million