Pretoria – South Africa had the opposition struggling at 91/4 at tea on the second day of the third and final Test in Centurion on Saturday.
Vernon Philander struck twice and debutant Kyle Abbott took his first two wickets in Test cricket.
After surviving a chance on 27, Imran Farhat was given out lbw to Philander. Earlier, Rory Kleinveldt caught him on the crease and he was given out by umpire Billy Bowden but Farhat was saved by the Decision Review System when it was shown the ball had pitched just outside leg stump.
Philander eventually had him plumb when Farhat (30) played and missed with a lazy shot and Pakistan were 46/1.
Dean Elgar took a low catch in the gully to dismiss an unhappy Mohammad Hafeez and, for the second time in the match a debutant took a wicket in his first over in Test cricket.
Billy Bowden went upstairs to check if the catch was taken cleanly and then raised the finger to Hafeez (18) as Kyle Abbott notched up his first Test scalp.
There was no disputing the next wicket when Azhar Ali played onto this stumps. Philander, who had left the field for treatment after injuring his knee fielding at fine leg, showed no ill effects when he got the ball to nip away from Azhar (6) and found the inside edge onto the stumps.
Bowden was reluctant to make yet another decision on whether or not the catch had carried when when Misbah-ul-Huq was caught at second slip by Alviro Petersen. The decision had to be taken upstairs and Misbah (10) was sent on his way while Abbott celebrated his second wicket.
At tea, Younus Khan was not out on 13 and Asad Shafiq on two.
In the morning session, AB de Villiers reached his century and Philander achieved his highest Test score as South Africa became the first side to make over 400 runs in the series to date.
Resuming on 334/6, and with De Villiers on 98 overnight, it took him seven balls to reach his 16th Test century, and third against Pakistan.
He was eventually caught in the deep by Asad Shafiq for 121, after facing 215 deliveries and smashing 15 boundaries.
Philander brought up his second Test half-century off the next ball, taking 86 balls, and it was not long before the pair celebrated a century partnership for the seventh wicket.
After surviving one chance, Philander eventually edged Younus Khan to Hafeez at first slip and a review proved the fielder had indeed taken a legitimate catch and Philander was given out for 74. His previous highest Test score after the 61 he made against England at Lords.
Their valuable seventh wicket stand was worth 129 runs and included 13 fours.
Abbott contributed 13 runs for the tail after the 25-year-old was rewarded for an excellent season in domestic cricket. He was roped into the team after Jacques Kallis strained his calf muscle in the nets and the selectors decided to go for a fourth seamer instead of opting for another batsman.
Pakistan's fielding and bowling were both particularly shoddy as they spilt a couple of catches. Philander was dropped on 45, off Rahat Ali, after there was a mix up behind the stumps between the wicketkeeper and first slip.
Rahat was then the culprit when he dropped a sitter at fine-leg with De Villiers was on 107.
Playing in only his second Test, Rahat's inexperience showed and his bowling deteriorated. In was almost an injustice as he grabbed six wickets for 127 runs, conceding six no-balls and six wides.
Ehsan Adil bagged two for 54 on debut, but did not bowl again after he limped off injured on Friday. – Sapa