South Africa have put up a more enterprising effort against England at Durban after being handed a seven-wicket defeat at Port Elizabeth. England were caught off-guard on a Kingsmead pitch with variable bounce and pace. The visitors appeared a touch too complacent in the first innings and were not seen to implement any new strategies to adapt to the conditions. That the pitch on the third day eased into a placid batting strip just about prevented a gloomier scenario for the visitors.

By tea, Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss made light of the mottled bowling efforts of the hosts, resuming at thirty for no loss overnight, to record the first double century opening stand for England since Graham Gooch and Michael Atherton back in 1991. Trescothick went on to register his ninth Test century, his second against South Africa and his fourth this year. Strauss was not too far behind, scoring his fourth Test century and his second successive hundred after the scintillating knock at St. George's Park.

Earlier, the two stellar performers for South Africa, Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini, led the way to place South Africa in a commanding position on day one after Graeme Smith won the toss and predictably chose to bowl. The English batsmen were guilty of not being more restrained in the middle. South Africa brought in a few changes in personnel to put up a determined fight back. Thami Tsolekile handed the gloves to Abraham de Villiers, the promising opener from the first Test, Abraham de Villiers. Nicky Boje's return was a welcome delight for the hosts with variety in the attack. Makhaya Ntini started the havoc, having Marcus Trescothick caught by de Villiers diving to his right. Andrew Strauss scored a fine 25, incidentally the highest score of the innings. But Nicky Boje had him caught by Ntini at mid off as England went to lunch at three down for fifty. Matters after lunch deteriorated further for the visitors who found themselves in an uneasy position at eighty for six. England to a certain extent had only themselves to blame as they did not re-assess their strategy, which meant that atleast a couple of their batsmen including Andrew Flintoff and Mark Butcher fell to some injudicious batting. Shaun Pollock though was at his imperial best as he picked up four valuable wickets. Ntini chipped in with three of his own. England's brief semblance of hope came with a twenty-six run partnership between Simon Jones and Matthew Hoggard for the ninth over. But England could manage only 139 to their coach Duncan Fletcher's chagrin.

South Africa relived their prolific opening pair of Herschelle Gibbs and Graeme Smith. While the skipper departed courtesy Steve Harmison, Gibbs played an uncharacteristically circumspect knock of fifteen. South Africa were looking steady with Jacques Kallis and Jacques Rudolph until the latter was caught at short leg for thirty-two which not only ended the day's play but also, propelled Steve Harmison into the English record books for breaking Ian Botham's twenty-five year old for most wickets in a calendar year (64). England lost the able services of their spinner Ashley Giles to back spasms. Resuming at seventy for three overnight, South Africa played a cautious wait game that threatened to backfire yet again. Hashim Amla and Martin van Jaarsveld unfortunately did little to justify their inclusion at the expense of promising all-rounders Andrew Hall and Zander de Bruyn. It was not until Abraham de Villiers came to the crease that the South African innings received the much needed impetus. He played a couple of boundary shots with a refreshingly positive approach to the situation his team was presently in. His exit at 118 for six was followed by a decisive eighty-seven run partnership between Jacques Kallis and Shaun Pollock, the latter making his intentions clear with assertive stroke play.

Marcus Trescothick hugs Strauss (back to camera) after completing his hundred in the second innings.

While the scores were level at lunch, South Africa gained the momentum from the two worthy all-rounders. Shaun Pollock flourished with the bat and Jacques Kallis played a perfect and flawless innings that was a perfect beldn of aggression and caution. A splendid straight drive fetched him his eighteenth Test century, his fifth in the calendar year. He went past his skipper's 2003 Test tally of 1,198. Kallis now has 1,278 runs to his credit from 2004 at a phenomenal average of eighty-five.

As if reaching his century was not satisfying enough, the classy all-rounder continued to bat with elegance and effortless ease to post a formidable 162. England's woes multiplied with the last two wickets put up a staggering eighty-nine runs. Ntini played a cameo of twenty-two, replete with boundary shots. South Africa folded on 332, a formidable lead then of 193.