Smith was run out as South Africa crumbled late on day one
England bowler Graham Onions believes South Africa captain Graeme Smith's run out was crucial as England recovered on day one of the second Test.
Smith fell for 75 after a mix-up with AB de Villiers as the tourists crumbled from 160-2 shortly after tea to 175-5.
Onions said: "They batted very nicely, with Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis (who also hit 75) playing really well.
"Obviously a little bit of madness from AB de Villiers got us a vital wicket, which was key."
Smith and Kallis put on 150 over three hours before Kallis fell to spinner Graeme Swann.
Onions buoyed by England late show
Then Smith was confused by the calling from De Villiers at the non-striker's end, finally turning and lunging for his ground just after Alastair Cook ran in to take the bails off.
Smith did not speak to the media afterwards - as is normal for a team captain during a Test - but Kallis said: "It's not the first time it's happened and it won't be the last."
"We've moved on, and the rest of the guys have to do a job. I thought England bowled exceptionally well.
"We'd done so well to get to tea having lost just two wickets. It was tough to survive and score runs - and I thought we did well."
The game ebbed and flowed on the opening day, with South Africa rocked at 10-2 shortly after winning the toss, before a long, restorative stand between experienced pair Smith and Kallis.
Their hard work went largely unrewarded, however, with Onions putting the seal on England's comeback with the late wicket of JP Duminy.
Onions said after stumps on Saturday: "The game's in the balance. I think we're in a pretty good position, we just need to bowl well in the morning. It's going to be vital to start as well as we did today and it'll be game on."
In an unusual move, Onions took the new ball ahead of Stuart Broad, but he does not know whether the decision heralds a long-term shift.
"That's a tough question," he said. "I would have liked to maybe get a couple of wickets with the new ball.
"It swung quite nicely, I maybe bowled a fraction too wide to Hashim (Amla) but I felt as if I bowled quite nicely.
Kallis disappointed by late wickets
"Stuart and Jimmy (Anderson) have been new-ball partners for quite a while now so to have that opportunity is good for myself.
Kallis said South Africa would hope to approach 350 on day two on a wicket which gave the seamers new-ball help but not so much afterwards.
"The day was a little bit frustrating," he said.
"We had done really well up until tea, and the day was clearly belonging to us.
"Then that half an hour losing those three wickets wasn't ideal, and it put the day in the balance when we had it by the scruff of the neck."
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