Graeme Swann led a spirited rearguard action by the England tail as South Africa ended the third day of the first test 71 runs ahead with nine wickets in hand Friday. Swann, who took five for 110 in South Africa's first innings 418, struck a career-best 85 to lift England from a perilous 242 for eight to 356 all out. Left-arm spinner Paul Harris took five for 123 and was called into action as a batting nightwatchman after James Anderson bowled South African opener Ashwell Prince for a duck in the first over of the second innings. The hosts ended the day on nine for one after four overs with Graeme Smith on six. England was in trouble when Swann came to the crease but he was aggressive from the outset and his 85 came off just 81 deliveries including 10 fours and two sixes. England's ire was raised when Stuart Broad (17) was given out lbw to off-spinner JP Duminy after South Africa had taken 34 seconds to ask for the umpire decision review. Broad believed there had been a signal from the changing-room and television footage showed Broad in the third umpires' box remonstrating with Amiesh Saheba and match referee Roshan Mahanama. But Swann found an able partner in Anderson who scored 29 in a record ninth-wicket stand of 106 for England against South Africa. Makhaya Ntini eventually had Anderson caught by Morne Morkel diving forward at mid-off and Swann was the last man out when his slog-sweep landed in the hands of Graeme Smith at deep square-leg. Batting is still tricky on a pitch offering inconsistent bounce and Prince was undone by a delivery that kept low and came off the inside edge of the bat. Spinner Harris earlier took four wickets to reduce England to 238 for seven at tea.
