Live cricket score: Zimbabwe vs South Africa, Only Test, Day 3, South Africa in Zimbabwe, 2014

South Africa closed to within 55 runs of Zimbabwe's first-innings total with six wickets remaining on the second day of the Test match in Harare. After bowling out the hosts for 256 in the fourth over of the morning, the Proteas made sedate progress to reach 201 for four at the close. Dean Elgar and Faf du Plessis scored half-centuries while Hashim Amla and AB de Villier were dismissed for single digit scores.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe's Tendai Chatara was reprimanded after pleading guilty to a level-one breach of the ICC code of conduct during the first day's play. After being given out caught behind, Chatara shook his head and pointed to his leg as he walked to the pavilion. The fast bowler admitted the offence and accepted the sanction.

du Plessis and Quinton de Kock continued watchfully in the first session on Day 3. They were satisfied to play the waiting game and just 11 runs were managed in the first half an hour. de Kock also had a lucky break in the 97th over which was bowled by John Nyumbu.

de Kock brought up his second Test fifty with a six off Nyumbu in the 101st over before taking a couple to power South Africa past 250. Three overs later, the left-hander hit a streaky boundary off Donald Tiripano to help South Africa take the lead.

du Plessis, who entered the nineties, appeared nervous and fell just before the lunch break, two short of the three-figure mark. Coming down the track to Nyumbu in the 111st over, the right-hander tried to nudge it to the on side but ended up guiding the ball straight to Chakabva's hands at backward short leg. This ended a fifth wicket partnership worth 119 runs.

de Kock and JP Duminy remained unbeaten to take South Africa to 278/5 at lunch, leading by 22 runs.

Quinton de Kock was getting a little bogged down by some tight spin bowling after lunch. He came down the track to flick Sean Williams but hit it in the air and straight to short mid wicket. South Africa were already in the lead and looking to build on quickly.

Vernon Philander and JP Duminy batted very patiently to put on a partnership of 42 in the second session. Zimbabwe had managed to keep things tight once again. South Africa had crawled at a run-rate of under 2 runs per over in the session.

Just at the stroke of Tea, Taylor got Sean Williams into the attack again. The left-arm spinner got one to spin viciously past Philander's outside edge to rattle the stumps. Zimbabwe went out with their spirits boosted but South Africa still had their noses ahead in the game.

Dale Steyn came out with positive intent and hit a couple of massive sixes off Nyumbu. The spinner, on debut, could have had his man earlier when Steyn tried to replicate the big shots but the stumping was missed by Mutumbami. However Steyn's luck did not last long. In Nyumbu's next over he went for another big hit but ended up slicing it to point.

JP Duminy, normally a fluent batsman, was forced to play the waiting game by Zimbabwe. The southpaw responded well and put his head down to accumulate important runs with the tail. His partnerships with Philander, Steyn and later Piedt helped South Africa build their lead slowly but steadily. In the process he also got his 6th Test fifty and put the visitors firmly in command.

JP Duminy was the last man out as South Africa were eventually bowled out for 397. John Nyumbu bagged the last wicket and also his fifth of the innings. The off-spinner playing his first Test became only the second Zimbabwean spinner to achieve the feat.

South Africa were still well in command. Their pacers now had a shot at Zimbabwe for 13 overs and that was simply perfect from their perspective.

South Africa got just the start they sought going into the last hour of the day. Morne Morkel produced a steepling bouncer and had Masakadza fending awkwardly. The ball went off the edge to 2nd slip where de Villiers took a good, low catch.

Zimbabwe were 28/1 at stumps on day 3.