Dale Steyn (AFP)

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Adelaide - South Africa's already depleted attack suffered another momentary setback after the tea interval on Thursday when strike bowler Dale Steyn limped off the field with a left leg problem, joining Jacques Kallis and Vernon Philander on the injury list on day one of the second Test against Australia.

Steyn bowled two deliveries in his 15th over and had figures of 0-50 when he leaned down and started trying to stretch out his left leg. He walked off the field, leaving Rory Kleinfeldt to finish the over, and had treatment on his tight left hamstring before returning to the field.

Kallis hurt his right hamstring in the 17th over after taking two wickets to have Australia in trouble at 55 for three. He was set to have MRI scans and wasn't expected to field again on Thursday. Philander didn't even make it into the Test, pulling out after waking with a bad back.

South Africa needs to draw the three-match series to retain its No 1 Test ranking. Australia needs to win the series to have any chance of overhauling the South Africans in the series.