Fast bowler Dale Steyn [Images] gave South Africa [Images] the upper hand against Australia [Images] after the first day of the third and final Test as they skittled the tourists out for 209 at Newlands on Thursday.

The recalled Ashwell Prince [Images], opening the batting for the first time at Test level having played his previous 47 matches in the middle-order, then got stuck into Australia's new-ball bowlers as he took South Africa to 57 without loss at stumps.

Prince had scored a run-a-ball 37 not out, while Imraan Khan, making his debut, was also impressive as he reached the close on 15 not out.

Australia had resumed on 158 for five after tea and South Africa, who have already lost the series, pressed home their advantage with two wickets each by Steyn and Paul Harris putting the visitors under pressure in the first two sessions.

Stand-in captain Jacques Kallis [Images] called on Steyn to open the bowling after lunch and he produced two speedy deliveries to bowl Michael Hussey [Images] for 20 and Michael Clarke [Images] for a duck.

But that brought wicketkeeper/batsman Brad Haddin to the crease and he powered his way to 42 not out by the break.

Opening batsman Simon Katich [Images] proved difficult to dislodge as he survived for 229 minutes, scoring 55 and adding 71 for the fifth wicket with Haddin.

Katich survived several scares, including a good leg-before appeal on four, a dropped catch on nine and several edges just past the fielders or his own stumps.

He was finally dismissed softly 15 minutes before tea as he ended his innings with a rash sweep from outside off stump to Imraan Khan at mid-wicket off left-arm spinner Harris.

Harris had bowled eight miserly overs and taken two wickets for just 10 runs while Steyn's raw pace delivered two for 46.

Debutant Khan had made a sorry start to test cricket when he missed an easy catch in the gully when Katich, on nine, edged a square-drive off Makhaya Ntini [Images]. The left-handed Katich had moved on to 26 not out by lunch.

Fellow opener Phillip Hughes, who led the attack in a first-wicket stand of 58, also escaped on 33 when JP Duminy [Images] made a hash of a catch off Harris at extra cover.

The mistake did not prove costly, though, because Hughes missed a sweep at Harris two balls later and was adjudged leg-before-wicket for 33.

If the batsman had called for a review he may have had the decision overturned as television replays suggested he was struck outside the line of off stump.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting [Images] came to the crease having earlier won the toss for the sixth successive time against South Africa, who are 2-0 down in the series, and chosen to bat first on a flat pitch under clear blue skies.

But the most-feared Australian batsman was out in the next over for a duck as he edged a delivery that swung away late from Albie Morkel, playing in his first Test, into the gloves of wicketkeeper Mark Boucher [Images].

Ntini conceded just six runs, including four off his first delivery, in his first seven overs while Morkel had one for 44 in 12 overs.