Bowlers put SA ahead after AB, Duminy tons

Warner keeps Aus afloat with aggressive fifty

JP Duminy, AB de Villiers, Wayne Parnell and Vernon Philander put South Africa on top as they reduced Australia to 112 for four on the second day of the second Test at St George's Park on Friday.

All-rounder Parnell, playing his first Test in four years, and paceman Philander grabbed two wickets apiece after South Africa had amassed 423 in their first innings thanks to centuries from Duminy and De Villiers.

It might have been even worse for the tourists as wicketkeeper De Villiers dropped David Warner on 43. The left-handed opener was still there on 65 at the close of play with Nathan Lyon 12 not out.

Nightwatchman Lyon was also dropped by Duminy in the gully and received another let-off when South Africa failed to go to the television review after the umpire gave him not out when he edged a rising ball down the leg side straight to De Villiers. Earlier, Duminy answered his critics with 123 while De Villiers struck 116. De Villiers, who resumed the day on 51 not out, played himself in cautiously on another overcast morning before starting to unleash his repertoire of strokes. 

De Villiers reached his century with a sweep for four off Nathan Lyon. He faced 201 balls and hit 13 fours and a six. He faced a total of 232 balls, adding another four, before being beaten in the flight by Lyon and hitting a return catch to the off-spinner. Duminy's half-century was scored off 108 balls with eight fours and he struck another five boundaries in reaching his hundred off 199 deliveries. On a slow pitch, Clarke used his front-line fast bowlers sparingly between lunch and tea and made use of his part-timers, including himself, setting defensive fields.

Philander claimed the first Australian wicket when he trapped Chris Rogers leg before for five. Parnell then accounted for two of the heroes from the first Test, Alex Doolan (eight) and Shaun Marsh (duck), both caught behind by De Villiers. Marsh now has five ducks in his last 14 Test innings.

Captain Michael Clarke looked fluent in compiling 19 before spooning an easy catch to Dean Elgar at cover as a ball from Philander appeared to hold up in the pitch. Lyon then held out in brave fashion for the final 37 minutes, surviving a hostile onslaught from Parnell, Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn.

Australia are 1-0 up in the three-match series.