South Africa gave away then regained a dominant position in the third cricket test against New Zealand on the third day at the Basin Reserve yesterday.
Weak middle-order batting cost South Africa a decisive first-innings lead but by stumps, hastened by bad light, the weakness of New Zealand's top order had given the visitors the initiative in the match.
New Zealand was 128-5 in its second innings at stumps, only 109 ahead overall, with Scott Styris and Chris Cairns at the crease and only an injured Jacob Oram remaining among its specialist batsmen.
New Zealand's hopes of winning a test series against South Africa for the first time in 72 years of competition between the nations receded during the day as its second innings faltered and lost direction.
Chris Martin had bowled New Zealand into the a sound position before lunch, claiming his third five-wicket bag in as many innings as South Africa was dismissed for 316 after resuming at 237-3.
Martin took 3-21 in a seven-over spell with the second new ball to take the heart out of the South African middle order and to improve his figures from 2-34 overnight to 5-55.
His fifth wicket was his 50th in 13 tests, a milestone he reached faster than any other New Zealand bowler. He was only the third New Zealander to take five wickets in three successive innings after Jack Cowie and Richard Hadlee.
"Numbers haven't treated me that well in the past so I tend to steer clear of them, but they're treating me pretty well at the moment," said Martin.
South Africa lost its last seven wickets Sunday for only 79 runs and, when the new ball was fresh and Martin was most influential, lost four wickets for 19 runs within 43 balls.
New Zealand celebrated its achievement in restricting South Africa's first-innings lead to an insubstantial 19 runs but its celebration was short-lived.
Opener Michael Papps was out without scoring when its total was only 1 and captain Stephen Fleming fell to Nel for nine when New Zealand was 42.
Mathew Sinclair was trapped lbw by Pollock for 21 when the total was 73, Mark Richardson fell for 37 and McCullum was the last man out before stumps, bowled by Boje for 3.
Fleming spent 101 minutes at the crease for his single-figure total, Sinclair batted almost an hour for his 21 and Richardson, always a grafter, was at the crease 205 minutes for 37.
Sri Lanka versus Australia
Darren Lehmann was the unlikely leader of Australia's bowling attack yesterday, snaring three wickets as the Sri Lankan batsmen bid to save a draw in the third cricket test.
Lehmann removed former Sri Lankan skipper Sanath Jayasuriya (51) with his first ball, 15 minutes before lunch, and then returned to dismiss promising No. 3 Thilan Samaraweera (53) and Mahela Jayawardene (37) in a spell just before tea.
The hosts went into the last session on 188 for four, needing an almost impossible 182 to win or to survive 32 overs and prevent Australia becoming the first touring team to sweep a three-test series in Sri Lanka.
Shane Warne, who started the last innings needing seven wickets to beat Courtney Walsh's world record of 519 test wickets, remained wicketless in 20 overs that conceded 66 runs.
Lehmann drew Samaraweera forward and had him stumped by Adam Gilchrist about 15 minutes before tea.
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