Cricket: South Africa take control of third test

CAPE TOWN - Fast bowlers Makhaya Ntini and Charl Langeveldt claimed nine wickets between them as South Africa seized control of the third test against England in Cape Town on Tuesday.

South Africa were 184 for three in their second innings at stumps on the third day, a lead of 462 after they had earlier skittled England for 163 and declined to enforce the follow-on.

Jacques Kallis was 60 not out with Boeta Dippenaar on 44 in a grinding stand of 83 for the unbroken fifth wicket.

Kallis, who scored 149 in South Africa's first innings total of 441, batted for 217 minutes, hitting four fours and a six from 117 balls faced.

Debutant Langeveldt, who bowled with a fractured left hand sustained while batting on Monday, took five for 46 from 16 overs. He will probably miss the remainder of the series.

Ntini, who took four for 50 from 19 overs, began the England slide on Monday as England slumped to 95 for four and continued it in the seventh over of the day when nightwatchman Matthew Hoggard edged a ball to Graeme Smith at first slip.

In his next over Ntini jammed Andrew Flintoff with a rising delivery that the all rounder slapped to Herschelle Gibbs at backward point having scored just 12.

Seven overs later England were 128 for seven when Geraint Jones, who scored 13, steered a ball from Langeveldt to Smith at first slip.

Graham Thorpe, who was six not overnight, laboured to 12 off 65 balls before flicking a Langeveldt delivery to Jacques Rudolph at square leg.

Simon Jones was bowled off the toe of his bat by Langeveldt for a duck, and the innings ended when Steve Harmison edged a ball from Langeveldt to Smith at slip to go without scoring.

After South Africa elected to bat again rather than put England in, fast bowler Hoggard struck with the 13th ball of the innings, trapping Smith leg before for two.

Gibbs hit four boundaries in his 24 before edging a ball from Flintoff to wicketkeeper Geraint Jones -- it was Flintoff's 100th test wicket.

South Africa slipped to 101 for three in the second last over before tea when Jacques Rudolph, who scored 23, drove a ball from pace bowler Simon Jones into the covers where he was caught by Robert Key.

Toiling England squandered a chance to remove Kallis when Marcus Trescothick dropped a difficult catch off the bowling of left-arm spinner Ashley Giles at slip.

- REUTERS