South Africa's middle order fought back strongly on Friday after earlier being left reeling by controversial Pakistan paceman Mohammad Asif on day two of the first Test.
Asif, who recently had a one-year doping ban overturned against the wishes of the World Anti-Doping Agency, produced a brilliant opening spell on his return to the Test arena.
He removed Proteas openers Graeme Smith and AB De Villiers to leave the hosts eight for two and later added the scalps of Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla.
But middle order batsmen Amla (71), Ashwell Prince (77 not out) and Herschelle Gibbs (58 not out) pulled the Proteas together and they reached the close on 254 for four, 59 short of Pakistan's first innings total of 313.
Asif finished the day with figures of four for 58.
Asif took the only wicket to fall in the afternoon session when he claimed the scalp of Kallis, caught low down by Younis Khan at second slip for 18.
However, Amla and Prince then began to rebuild the innings.
Amla was fourth man after tea with another beautiful delivery from Asif finding the edge on the way to wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal.
Amla and Prince had put on 90 for the fourth wicket and Amla had struck 11 fours.
Prince and Gibbs continued the revival and by stumps they had added 111 for the fifth wicket with some belligerent strokeplay with Prince striking 10 fours and Gibbs 11.
In the morning session, Asif had rocked the Proteas with a brilliant first spell, first removing skipper Smith for a duck with a ball that moved away off the seam from the left-hander, who edged it to Akmal.
The ball that accounted for De Villiers (4) was equally unplayable, catching the edge of the opener's bat with Younis taking a smart catch at second slip.
Earlier, Makhaya Ntini completed another five-wicket haul as Pakistan collapsed to 313 all out.
Pakistan resumed in the morning on 242 for five with skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq and Akmal at the crease.
However, with middle order lynchpin Mohammad Yousuf absent on compassionate grounds, the Pakistan team was quickly skittled out.
Ntini, whose bowling helped the Proteas clinch a 2-1 series win over India earlier this month, claimed figures of five for 83 while Andre Nel took three for 100.
Inzamam was the first casualty of the day.
The skipper had added seven to his overnight score before departing for 42 as he tried to clout a Ntini delivery for six but only found Amla at deep square leg.
Next to go was Akmal who had made 29 before he was caught by Shaun Pollock at midwicket off the bowling of Nel after a mistimed hook.
Shahid Nazir went for 15 with a poor shot against Ntini with the ball looping off the edge into the hands of Gibbs.
Rana Naved-ul Hasan produced some entertainment and Ntini lured him into a hook shot which found the hands of Amla who was unable to avoid carrying the ball over the boundary. A six was duly awarded.
Kaneria was next out, for a duck, becoming Ntini's fifth wicket of the innings as he gave Kallis a catch.
The final wicket was claimed by Nel as Naved-ul-Hasan lofted the ball back to the giant bowler after making 30.
