Cape Town — South Africa's chances to save the second Test against England nose-dived on the third morning at Old Trafford as they slumped to 88/3 at lunch.
Trailing by a mammoth 264 runs on England's first innings, South Africa's openers Dean Elgar and Sarel Erwee resumed on 23 without loss having survived a tense evening the night before.
They had no such luck this morning with both Elgar and Erwee falling in quick succession to James Anderson and Ollie Robinson.
It was Anderson that got England's engine starting when he clean bowled the Proteas skipper Elgar (11) with a beautiful delivery that just kept its line.
Robinson, meanwhile, lured Erwee (25) from around the wicket into pushing forward and found the left-hander's edge that England's centurion Ben Foakes took comfortably behind the wicket.
South Africa were 39/2 and could easily have been in more trouble shortly afterwards had Stuart Broad not overstepped prior to delivering a stunning ball that clean bowled Aiden Markram.
But much to Broad's displeasure Markam was called back upon a television referral.
The under-pressure Markram (6) could not take advantage of his reprieve though with Broad eventually getting his man when he edged behind to Zak Crawley.
Bar possibly Rassie van der Dussen's finger injury that could keep him out of the next Test at the Oval, this should surely be Markram's final Test considering his woeful longer-format form.
Van der Dussen is still plugging away with his broken finger and showed great courage to come out and bat and is still there at the crease with Keegan Petersen, who is unbeaten on 20.
IOL Sport