While Johnson was the main strike bowler, he received excellent support from fellow seam bowlers Peter Siddle (3/46) and Ben Hilfenhaus (2/68), who all kept up the

pressure.

Australia were beaten 2-1 in a home series against the same opponents earlier in the season. They need to win or draw the return three-Test series to retain the ICC Test championship. The tourists recovered from 38 for three and 182 for 5 to reach a first-innings total of 466, then bowled out South Africa for 220.

Impossible target

South Africa fought back in the second innings but had an almost impossible mountain to climb. South Africa started the day on 178, still with an outside chance of chasing down a target of 454.

For the first hour, Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis batted solidly, but then Amla clipped a ball from Siddle to mid-wicket to be out for 57. AB de Villiers made only three before he was trapped leg before by McDonald.

The key breakthrough came in the third over with the second new ball when Kallis was bowled off an inside edge by Johnson for 45. In Johnson’s previous over, Kallis was given out by umpire Billy Bowden but Kallis asked for a referral and was reprieved by television umpire Asad Rauf because the ball pitched marginally outside leg stump.

Scoreboard

Australia 1st innings 466

South Africa 1st innings 220

Australia 2nd innings 207

South Africa 2nd innings (Overnight: 178/2): N McKenzie c Haddin b Johnson 35, G Smith c Johnson b Hilfenhaus 69, H Amla c Hughes b Siddle 57, J Kallis b Johnson 45, AB de Villiers lbw McDonald 3, JP Duminy c Ponting b Siddle 29, M Boucher b Hilfenhaus 24, M Morkel c Hughes b Johnson 2, P Harris c Katich b Siddle 8, D Steyn b Johnson 6, M Ntini not out 0.

Extras: (1b, 6lb, 2w, 4nb) 13

Total (all out, 119.2 overs): 291

Fall of wickets: 1/76, 2/130, 3/206, 4/211, 5/229, 6/268, 7/272, 8/284, 9/289, 10/291.