Pollock bowled unchanged with the new ball and took five for 23 in ten overs with a masterly display of controlled seam and swing bowling.

On a pitch with the most bounce seen in the series, Pakistan were in trouble from the first over when Pollock had Mohammad Hafeez caught behind.

Imran Nazir went on the attack to make 22 off 22 balls. He hit Pollock for a six over midwicket before an attempted repeat sent the ball high in the air for Pollock to take a return catch.

Pollock followed up with the wickets of Pakistan's three senior batsmen. He bowled Younis Khan, trapped Mohammad Yousuf leg before with a ball which swerved back into the batsman, and had Pakistan captain Inzamamul Haq caught at second slip.

Kamran Akmal fell for 22 when he pulled powerfully against Charl Langeveldt and Ashwell Prince dived to his right in front of the square leg umpire to hold a reflex catch. At that stage Pakistan, who won the toss, were 83 for six.

The rest of the bowlers were not as impressive as Pollock but only Shoaib Malik, who made 43 not out off 70 balls, provided sustained resistance to the South African attack.

Pakistan, needing to win to level the series, made two changes to the side that was beaten by ten wickets in the fourth match in Cape Town Sunday.

Mohammad Hafeez and seam bowler Rao Iftikhar replaced Abdur Rehman and Azhar Mahmood.

South Africa, leading the series 2-1, picked the same team for the third successive match.