Ntini's next ball then dismissed Ponting, to add to his only previous golden duck suffered against India in 2001, when a fuller ball was edged to AB de Villiers at gully after the captain mis-timed his drive.
Bell tried to up the ante but only succeeded in flashing at a ball from Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers held on to a spectacular diving catch at backward point.
The ramifications of Friday's referral decision continued to haunt England just before lunch on Saturday when AB de Villiers appeared to edge a ball from Ryan Sidebottom to wicketkeeper Matt Prior.