Harmison puts England on track

The Durham fast bowler dismissed Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis early on the fourth day after Saturday's play was restricted to only 17.5 overs by steady showers.

His efforts were followed with another breakthrough shortly before lunch from key all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, who removed Ashwell Prince to leave South Africa struggling on 168 for five, leading by only 46 runs.

Harmison, making his first Test appearance since March, delivered a superb spell of two for 12 in eight overs with five maidens, and made the important early breakthrough by removing Amla, who had raced to 76 off only 99 balls, including 14 fours.

Attempting to fend off a short ball in the third over of the day, Amla only succeeded in edging wide of wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose, who dived to his right and took the catch after a fumble.

England thought they had also dismissed dangerman Kallis 10 overs later when they finally persuaded him to break out of his disciplined approach to chase a wider delivery from Harmison, but it was dropped at mid-off by captain Kevin Pietersen.

The new captain looked devastated, but with the very next ball he was celebrating again when Kallis edged low to Paul Collingwood at third slip.

Harmison's reward for his outstanding spell was to be replaced by Flintoff two overs later, and he signalled his intentions early by hitting AB de Villiers on the grill as he attempted to sway out of the way of a short delivery.

He followed that by tempting Prince to push outside off-stump and give Andrew Strauss a catch at first slip but de Villiers survived to reach 15 at lunch while new batsman Mark Boucher had reached one.