Steyn 5 puts South Africa into the driving seat

Dale Steyn made his mark on the series at Johannesburg with a career-best haul against England of 5-51. 1-0 up in the series and requiring only a draw for victory, England would have been hoping to win the toss and really put the hosts to the sword by batting them out of the game. Andrew Strauss got the first part right, but not much else went his way on a cloudy morning at the Wanderers.

For the first time since 1937 an England opening captain was dismissed first ball of the match, as Strauss guided one straight off the face of his bat only to be caught superbly by the diving Hashim Amla. Ironically, the ball followed Amla around the field for the entirety of the innings, but he failed to hold on to anything else. Graeme Swann benefited momentarily from an Amla drop in the deep later on the innings.

Things didn't get much better for England as they were reduced to 39-4 by Morne Morkel. Jonathan Trott looked unusually nervous before being trapped lbw by Morkel for 5. He was followed shortly after by Kevin Pietersen, who's horribly out of form, after he pulled straight to debutant Wayne Parnell at mid-on for 7. Alastair Cook went via a review that revealed what looked to be a clear no-ball from Morkel, but don't expect 3rd umpire Daryl Harper to make a correct decision. Cook on his way back for 21, lbw.

Paul Collingwood (47) and Ian Bell (35) resurrected the innings through the morning and reached 115-4 before England's second and last batting collapse begun. Collingwood chipped South African's other debutant Ryan McLaren to point, and Ian Bell was undone by a world-class piece of fast bowling by Dale Steyn. Matt Prior (14) then gloved a bumper from Steyn through to Boucher, Stuart Broad (13) lobbed to mid-on off Kallis, and Ryan Sidebottom (0) edged behind off Steyn. England's lower order that had come to the rescue already twice in the series failed to dent South Africa's progress. Only Graeme Swann was successful in his attempt to attack the South African quicks, but even he didn't last too long. After smashing Morkel for six over square-leg, and caressing back-to-back boundaries off Kallis, he edged behind for 27 and England were all out for 180.

Despite such a low total after winning the toss, Strauss and his men shouldn't get too downheartened. The pitch looks like it will still provide some assistance for the quickies, and although not much turn is expected, Graeme Swann's form and luck right now seems to suggest that he'll have a part to play in the next day or two.