Jacques Kallis was in sight of his 19th Test century as South Africa made solid but slow progress on the first day of the third test against England on Sunday.
South Africa, who won the toss and chose to bat, were 247 for four at the close. Kallis, who hit 165 in the first innings of the drawn second Test in Durban, was 81 not out with Hashim Amla on 21.
Left-arm spinner Ashley Giles took two for 58 from 24 overs.
South African captain Graeme Smith won the toss for the third time in the series and was able to spare his bowlers the drudgery of having to toil again after they sent down 172.3 overs in England's second innings in the second Test.
In the third over opener Herschelle Gibbs left a delivery from fast bowler Matthew Hoggard that was pitched marginally outside his off-stump.
The ball seamed back slightly to bowl Gibbs for four, mirroring his dismissal by Hoggard in the first innings in Durban.
Smith and Jacques Rudolph steadied South Africa with a second-wicket stand of 61. The partnership was ended in the third over before lunch when Rudolph, who made 26, played away from his body to a ball from Simon Jones and sent an inside edge to wicketkeeper Geraint Jones.
Kallis replaced Rudolph, and he Smith scored steadily until eight overs before tea when South Africa's captain edged a ball from Giles to be well caught by Marcus Trescothick at slip for 74.
Four runs earlier Smith had survived a contentious caught behind decision when he bottom-edged a delivery from Giles on to his pad and was caught behind.
As the England players rushed to congratulate Giles, Smith was given not out by umpire Daryl Harper. Television replays showed the left-hander clearly hitting the ball.
Kallis and Boeta Dippenaar put on 68 runs for the fourth wicket in a partnership in which England slowed the run rate by bowling conservatively.
Dippenaar's frustration mounted, and after he had scored 29 in more than two hours he attempted to work a ball from Giles to the leg side and was bowled.
England lead the best-of-five series 1-0.
Scoreboard
South Africa first innings
G.Smith c Trescothick b Giles 74
H.Gibbs b Hoggard 4
J.Rudolph c G.Jones b S.Jones 26
J.Kallis not out 81
B.Dippenaar b Giles 29
H.Amla not out 21
Extras (b-2 lb-4 nb-4 w-2) 12
Total (for four wickets, 90 overs) 247
Fall of wickets: 1-9 2-70 3-145 4-213.
To bat: A.de Villiers, S.Pollock, N.Boje, M.Ntini, C. Langeveldt.
Bowling: Hoggard 21-5-56-1 (w-1), Harmison 14-1-48-0 (w-1), Flintoff 19-4-42-0 (nb-1), S.Jones 12-0-37-1 (nb-3), Giles 24-1-58-2.
England: M.Trescothick, A.Strauss, R.Key, M.Vaughan, G. Thorpe, A.Flintoff, G.Jones, A.Giles, M.Hoggard, S.Jones, S. Harmison.
