South Africa’s pace attack struck two early blows on Saturday to swing the match back in the home side’s favour as Pakistan began its second innings on the third day of the second Test at Newlands.

Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander grabbed a wicket each in their opening overs, dismissing Mohammad Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed respectively, before Azhar Ali and Younis Khan took Pakistan to tea on 2-25.

That gave Pakistan an overall lead of 37 after it had gained a first-innings advantage of 12 runs by bowling South Africa out for 326 midway through the second session.

Pakistan would have harboured hopes of a much bigger lead given that it had South Africa 139-5 overnight, but the Proteas’ decision to adopt a more aggressive approach on day three paid dividends.

Although South Africa lost a few wickets in taking the attack to the bowlers, it also scored 187 runs in 42 overs to reclaim the initiative, with Robin Peterson hitting a career-best 84 from just 106 deliveries.

AB de Villiers’ breezy 61 was the other highlight of the innings, but the two batsmen found plenty of support from the lower order as the last five wickets of the innings brought 217 runs.

Despite gaining a slender first-innings lead, Pakistan began its second innings with momentum against it, and was swiftly reduced to 7-2 in the first nine deliveries.

Both Hafeez and Jamshed were trapped lbw by South Africa’s new-ball pairing, before Ali and Younis slowly steadied the innings.