The visitors started the final day 16/0 - 18 ahead - but the wheels came off in the opening hour when they lost three wickets as South Africa began to sense the unlikeliest of comeback victories.
LIVE: SOUTH AFRICA V ENGLAND DAY FIVE
Never before has a side made more than 600 in the first innings of a Test match and lost, and that statistic looks like it will remain intact despite the Proteas throwing the kitchen sink at the English on day five.
There were two more wickets in the middle session, but at tea England were 155/6 and it will take something special if Hashim Amla and his men are to level the series here.
37 overs remain in the day's play, but with the clouds rolling in, the floodlights on and a few drops of rain starting to fall whether or not they will all be bowled remains to be seen.
The period immediately after lunch was a frustrating one for the Proteas as Morne Morkel, Kagiso Rabada and Chris Morris all tried to get something going.
The breakthrough then came in the ninth over of the session through spinner Dane Piedt - and it was a big one.
Ben Stokes, going along nicely on 26 off 33, heaved a slog sweep down Morkel's throat on the deep square leg boundary.
It gave the Proteas a glimmer of hope, and that was intensified in Piedt's next over when he had James Taylor caught bat-pad by Temba Bavuma at short leg.
At that stage England were 116/6, and with and hour and 10 minutes still left in the session, South Africa would have been fancying their chances once more.
But Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali kept the attack at bay, though Dean Elgar did come extremely close to dismissing Bairstow.
Third umpire Rod Tucker took what seemed like an age to decide that Bairstow had something behind the line when Quinton de Kock whipped off the bails, and with that near stumping not going their way it began to look a tall order for South Africa.
At tea Bairstow was 26* and Ali was 10*. News24Wire
Proteas running out of time at Newlands
They've given it a real go, but the Proteas seem to be running out of time in their bid to win the second Test against England at Newlands.
The visitors started the final day 16/0 - 18 ahead - but the wheels came off in the opening hour when they lost three wickets as South Africa began to sense the unlikeliest of comeback victories.
LIVE: SOUTH AFRICA V ENGLAND DAY FIVE
Never before has a side made more than 600 in the first innings of a Test match and lost, and that statistic looks like it will remain intact despite the Proteas throwing the kitchen sink at the English on day five.
There were two more wickets in the middle session, but at tea England were 155/6 and it will take something special if Hashim Amla and his men are to level the series here.
37 overs remain in the day's play, but with the clouds rolling in, the floodlights on and a few drops of rain starting to fall whether or not they will all be bowled remains to be seen.
The period immediately after lunch was a frustrating one for the Proteas as Morne Morkel, Kagiso Rabada and Chris Morris all tried to get something going.
The breakthrough then came in the ninth over of the session through spinner Dane Piedt - and it was a big one.
Ben Stokes, going along nicely on 26 off 33, heaved a slog sweep down Morkel's throat on the deep square leg boundary.
It gave the Proteas a glimmer of hope, and that was intensified in Piedt's next over when he had James Taylor caught bat-pad by Temba Bavuma at short leg.
At that stage England were 116/6, and with and hour and 10 minutes still left in the session, South Africa would have been fancying their chances once more.
But Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali kept the attack at bay, though Dean Elgar did come extremely close to dismissing Bairstow.
Third umpire Rod Tucker took what seemed like an age to decide that Bairstow had something behind the line when Quinton de Kock whipped off the bails, and with that near stumping not going their way it began to look a tall order for South Africa.
At tea Bairstow was 26* and Ali was 10*. News24Wire
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