CENTURION: Hashim Amla crafted a careful half-century after South Africa were rocked by a James Anderson double strike on the fourth day of the fourth and final Test against England at SuperSport Park here today.
South Africa were 121 for four at lunch, a lead of 254, with Amla unbeaten on 50.
Anderson struck twice in three balls in the fifth over of the morning, having Stephen Cook caught behind for 25, then trapping South African captain AB de Villiers leg before wicket for his second duck of the match.
At that stage South Africa were 49 for three, a lead of 182.
Amla and JP Duminy ensured there would be no repeat of South Africa's collapse to 83 all out in the second innings of the third Test in Johannesburg. They put on 57 for the fourth wicket before Duminy was caught behind off Ben Stokes for 29.
Anderson, whose four wickets in the first six innings of the series had cost 63.50 runs each, had a superb first spell of the day, taking two for seven in six overs. He bowled a tight line and length and swung the ball both ways.
Conditions remained tricky for batsmen on a cracked pitch with uneven bounce. Amla reached his half-century off 112 balls when he gloved a delivery from Stokes to leg which rose sharply off a good length.
Kyle Abbott, one of South Africa's three seam bowlers, did not practice with the side before play on Monday after leaving the field with a tight left hamstring on Sunday. His availability to bowl in the final innings is doubtful.