CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AFP) — South African fast bowlers Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn took three wickets each and ensured that the third Test against England remained evenly balanced after the second day’s play at Newlands yesterday.

England were 241 for seven at the close, 50 behind South Africa’s first innings total of 291.

Thanks mainly to Morkel, who took three for 57, and Steyn (three for 64), England were unable to take control despite ripping through the South African lower batting order early in the day.

England top-scorer Alastair Cook, who made 65, gave credit to the bowlers too. “They kept us under constant pressure,” he said.

Kallis felt South Africa had a slight edge in their quest to level the four-match series, despite having struggled early on after being sent in on Sunday and losing their last four wickets for 12 runs at the start of Monday’s play.

“If we can knock over the tail and then our batsmen get through the new ball we will probably be ahead of the game,” said Kallis, who felt a final innings target of 300 or more would be difficult for England to chase down.

England’s remaining batsmen, led by wicketkeeper Matt Prior, on 52 not out, will be in a similar situation to South Africa when they resume on the third day. The South African bowlers will be armed with an almost-new ball and according to Kallis the pitch has a history of being tricky to bat on early in the day.

Kallis himself was out to the first ball he faced yesterday, edging Graham Onions to Prior without adding to his overnight score of 108.

James Anderson then scythed through the last three wickets, finishing with five for 63, his eighth five-wicket haul in Tests.

Morkel had captain Andrew Strauss caught behind in the first over of the England innings and the tourists slipped to 36 for three when Steyn dismissed Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen in the space of three balls.

Seven wickets fell during a dramatic morning’s play and another wicket fell soon after the interval when Paul Collingwood was leg before wicket to Morkel for 19.

Scoreboard

South Africa, first innings

(overnight 279-6)

G Smith c Prior b Anderson 30

A Prince c Prior b Anderson 0

H Amla lbw b Onions 14

J Kallis c Prior b Onions 108

A de Villiers c Strauss b Swann 36

J Duminy c Prior b Swann 0

M Boucher lbw b Broad 51

D Steyn c Trott b Anderson 26

M Morkel c Swann b Anderson 0

P Harris not out 10

F de Wet lbw b Anderson 0

Extras (b1, lb13, nb1, w1) 16

Total (86.1 overs, 363 mins) 291

Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Prince), 2-46 (Amla), 3-51 (Smith), 4-127 (De Villiers), 5-127 (Duminy), 6-216 (Boucher), 7-280 (Kallis), 8-280 (Steyn), 9-281 (Morkel)

Bowling: Anderson 21.1-1-63-5 (nb1, w1), Onions 20-4-69-2, Broad 19-6-54-1, Swann 22-1-74-2, Pietersen 4-0-17-0

England, first innings

A Strauss c Boucher b Morkel 2

A Cook c Prince b Morkel 65

J Trott b Steyn 20

K Pietersen c and b Steyn 0

P Collingwood lbw b Morkel 19

I Bell c Duminy b Kallis 48

M Prior not out 52

S Broad b Steyn 25

G Swann not out 5

Extras (lb2, nb1, w2) 5

Total (7 wkts, 82 overs) 241

Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Strauss), 2-36 (Trott), 3-36 (Pietersen), 4-73 (Collingwood), 5-133 (Cook), 6-174 (Bell), 7-225 (Broad)

To bat: J. Anderson, G. Onions.

Bowling: Morkel 19-3-57-3 (w1), De Wet 16-3-36-0 (nb1), Steyn 19-5-64-3, Kallis 14-2-27-1 (w1), Harris 9-0-39-0, Duminy 5-0-16-0

Toss: England

Umpires: Daryl Harper (AUS), Tony Hill (NZL)

TV umpire: Aleem Dar (PAK).

Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (SRI).