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Lightning Lee inspires Australia - Cricinfo

A day that started with both teams unsure of their position finished with Australia staring down at their opponents and carrying a 227-run lead. A devastatingly quick spell from Brett Lee with the second new ball set up their dominance as he combined with Stuart Clark to spark a collapse of 5 for 12 that dropped South Africa from the comfort earned by Jacques Kallis's fighting century to a disappointing 267.

The brilliance of Lee, who stormed through the final four batsmen to gain 5 for 69, ruined the work of Kallis and Australia's top order added to the damage by posting 125 for the loss of Justin Langer for 37. Ricky Ponting drove the target-setting with 48, including a six and a four off one Nicky Boje over, while Matthew Hayden settled in as the passenger with 36.

With the match waiting for an irresistible force over the first seven sessions, Lee joined Clark before tea with South Africa sailing slowly but happily at 255 for 5 and dramatically changed the game. Clark started the demolition with a return catch off Kallis from his first delivery with the new ball and Lee finished things off with pure speed that almost nudged 160kph. One of Lee's many celebrations was Mark Boucher becoming his 200th Test wicket and his haul quickly pushed him to 202 as he knocked over Andre Nel and Makhaya Ntini, putting him on a hat-trick in the second innings.

Shaun Pollock (1) fell to a nick and Boucher (19) lost his leg stump to an under-edge before Nel walked into a cloud of chatter from the fielders. Lee's swift removal of the two bowlers limited the rash of verbals and Australia took a first-innings lead of 102 that was highly unlikely as they struggled to conquer Kallis.

After haring to a wildly impressive half-century late on day two, Kallis pulled out the brake and tortoised to his 24th hundred. Starting on 72, he waited almost 45 minutes for his first two runs and his mood after lunch was similar as he grafted seven in the first hour. The conditions were still not conducive to free-flowing play - Kallis was hit on his injured elbow and the hand - and he sprinkled some fine shots, including the back-foot drive off Shane Warne in the over before lunch to bring up his century.

Ponting opened the match with a hard-working 103 that came under extreme pressure in Durban's most testing conditions, but he was building his side's innings after walking out with the score on zero. Today Kallis was performing with the strong platform set by himself and AB de Villiers and did not kick on.

His first fifty came in 49 balls on Saturday and was an incredible display of counter-attacking, but he woke up a new man and spent another 173 deliveries reaching his final score. The application was impressive but South Africa needed something more positive and they quickly wilted when he popped a catch to Clark.

Clark had also struck an important blow in the morning's third over to remove de Villiers, who registered a well-made half-century, with a sharp take from Hayden in the gully. Ashwell Prince arrived as the replacement and played soundly until Warne sparked a detrimental change in his outlook.

The 56-run partnership with Kallis ended when Prince charged Warne on 33 and miscued a legside flick. He left to a mock compliment from Warne, who had picked up his Prince for the tenth time. Warne improved the more he toiled and deceived Jacques Rudolph in the second session before watching the fast men blaze with the new ball. In a bowler's match Lee unleashed the finest spell and South Africa must at least match him if they are to remain in contention for the Test and the series.