Photos: Amla, Smith help SA gain upper hand

South Africa, fired by a devastating spell of bowling from Dale Steyn and sustained by the batting of Hashim Amla, took a firm grip on the third and final Test against Australia on Saturday to end day two with an imposing lead of 292.

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"Dale started well with the ball this morning," fast bowler Vernon Philander told said. "And then the way Graeme and Hashim batted was just unbelievable, taking the game to them, and momentum's on our side and hopefully we can keep it that way."

The first ball of Steyn's first over dispatched opener David Warner caught behind for 13 after a fruitless TV appeal, while his fourth sent nightwatchman Nathan Lyon back to the pavilion for seven.

Ricky Ponting, welcomed by a standing ovation, managed just four runs when he was trapped lbw by Philander, his subsequent appeal to the TV umpire having less merit than Warner's but proving just as pointless.

"Not an ideal day," said wicketkeeper Matthew Wade. "We had high hopes when we came in this morning but things didn't go well."

Only Wade, who scored a bright 68, and debutant pace bowler John Hastings, the last Australian out for 32, offered any real resistance to the South Africans.

Wade built a partnership of 55 with Mike Hussey and brought up his second Test half century from 51 balls by launching his third six over the deep midwicket boundary.

"We don't feel the series has slipped away," Wade, perhaps mindful that South Africa chased down 414 to win at the WACA four years ago, added.

"Tomorrow we need to come out and execute, take eight wickets, get ourselves into a real scrap and chase whatever total they put up."