Fast bowler Shaun Pollock helped put South Africa in control after the first day of the second Test against England at Durban on Sunday, taking four for 32 as the visitors slumped to their lowest total in four years.

England were shot out for 139 in their first innings, their lowest since they were dismissed for 134 by West Indies at Lord's in 2000.

South Africa maintained their early grip by reaching the close on 70 for three in reply.

All rounder Jacques Kallis was not out 13 after Jacques Rudolph, on 32, was caught by Graham Thorpe at short leg off the last ball of the day bowled by paceman Stephen Harmison.

England are unbeaten in Test cricket this year, winning 11 of their 12 matches including a national record eight in a row with their seven-wicket victory in the first test against South Africa.

However the tourists, who lost the toss and were put in to bat, were dismissed 13 balls after tea with fast bowlers Makhaya Ntini and Dale Steyn taking three for 41 and two for 26 respectively.

Ntini made the initial breakthrough in the 10th over when wicketkeeper AB de Villiers clung on to a thick inside edge that flew rapidly from the bat of Marcus Trescothick after the England opener had scored 18.

Eight overs later England were 32 for two when Mark Butcher dragged a delivery from Steyn, the fastest man in the South Africa attack, on to his stumps and was out for five.

Left-arm spinner Nicky Boje, who missed the first Test in Port Elizabeth while recovering from thyroid surgery, had England captain Michael Vaughan dropped by de Villiers with the third delivery he bowled.

DROVE UPPISHLY

Andrew Strauss, who scored 126 and 94 not out in England's first Test victory, drove Boje's next ball uppishly to Ntini at mid-off and was out for 25, including five fours.

Former South Africa captain Pollock bowled the second over after lunch, which England reached on 58 for three, and trapped Thorpe leg before wicket for one with his first ball.

In his next over Pollock bowled a short delivery to Andrew Flintoff, who attempted to hook. He spliced a catch to Hashim Amla at backward square leg and was out without scoring.

Five overs later, Vaughan was lbw to Ntini for 18 and England slipped to 93 for seven when Geraint Jones, who hit three fours and a six in his 24, pulled a ball from Ntini to Rudolph at deep midwicket.

Ashley Giles injured his back in trying to avoid a bouncer from Steyn but soldiered on bravely to score 10 before heaving another Steyn delivery down Rudolph's throat at deep square leg.

Simon Jones hammered three fours and a six before being bowled via the inside edge by Pollock, and the innings ended in Pollock's next over when he bowled Harmison for a duck.

Harmison, who failed to shine with the ball in the first Test, struck in the sixth over of South Africa's reply when he removed South Africa skipper Graeme Smith for nine, caught in the slips off an outswinger.

South Africa then slipped to 48 for two in the 21st over when swing bowler Matthew Hoggard bowled opener Herschelle Gibbs for 15.

Scoreboard:

England first innings
M.Trescothick c De Villiers b Ntini 18
A.Strauss c Ntini b Boje 25
M.Butcher b Steyn 5
M.Vaughan lbw b Ntini 18
G.Thorpe lbw b Pollock 1
A.Flintoff c Amla b Pollock 0
G.Jones c Rudolph b Ntini 24
G.Giles c Rudolph b Steyn 10
M Hoggard not out 6
S Jones b Pollock 21
S Harmison b Pollock 0

Extras (lb-9 nb-2) 11

Total (all out, 57.1 overs) 139

Fall of wickets: 1-21 2-32 3-53 4-62 5-64 6-80 7-93 8-113 9-139 10-139

Bowling: Pollock 15.1-7-32-4 (nb-1), Ntini 13-2-41-3, Steyn 13-4-26-2 (nb-1), Kallis 7-4-10-0, Boje 9-2-21-1

South Africa: G.Smith, H.Gibbs, J.Rudolph, J.Kallis, M.van Jaarsveld, H.Amla, A.de Villiers, S.Pollock, N.Boje, M.Ntini, D.Steyn