JP DUMINY stood man alone against the mighty Mitchell Johnson in the second Castle Test match against Australia at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead on Saturday in the same way that AB de Villiers had done at the Liberty Life Wanderers Stadium a week previously.

On the former occasion De Villiers completed a well merited century and whether Duminy can achieve the same landmark will depend very much on the support he receives from the two tail-end batsmen, Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini.

At the close of a highly eventful second day the Proteas were struggling at 138/7 with Duminy undefeated on 73 (152 balls, 11x4) and just a tantalising 27 runs short of what would be just as outstanding a century as the maiden one he scored at Melbourne in the Christmas Test match.

It is effectively eight down as Graeme Smith's appalling luck of run with injuries continued. This time he suffered a fracture at the base of the little finger on his right hand – an injury that is expected to sideline him about three weeks. He seems certain to miss the third Castle Test match at Sahara Park Newlands and the earliest he can probably expect to return is for the MTN ODI series in April.

Smith wasn't the only Protea in the war as Jacques Kallis had to have three stitches inserted in a wound underneath his chin and have a precautionary X-ray after also taking a blow from Johnson.

Kallis was able to return but only lasted another couple of balls as the under-rated Andrew McDonald worked his way through the lower order.

When Smith was injured as the Proteas attempted to chase down the Australian total of 352, the home side had already lost two wickets without a run on the ball as Neil McKenzie and Hashim Amla both went to Johnson in the first over. Smith had to retire hurt two runs later and it rapidly became 6/3 as De Villiers also failed to get going.

In the end Kallis (22 off 78 balls with five fours) was the only player apart from Duminy to reach double figures. Duminy currently has more than half of the total. The immediate target will be to score another 15 runs to avoid the follow on with Duminy's century a little bit further over the horizon.

There was an indication of the Proteas' collapse that was to follow when the Australians lost their last six wickets for 23 runs with the last five falling for four runs off 18 balls. Steyn was just as fearsome as Johnson was to prove later as cracks opened up on the pitch getting some deliveries to lift alarmingly and others to keep low.

Kingsmead is not going to be a place for faint-hearted batsmen for the second half of the match.