Kallis takes fight to England

Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher stalled England's ambition with important half-centuries on day one of the third Test at Newlands.

Kallis (86no) and Boucher (51) have combined successfully countless times over the years and duly did so again in a stand of 89 to bail South Africa out on the way to a still below-par mid-evening 235 for six.

The sixth-wicket pair came together after Graeme Swann had extended his astonishing series so far with two wickets in two balls to take his winter tally to 16 and reduce the hosts to 127 for five.

Boucher responded with a typical counter-attack, which gathered early momentum with three successive off-side fours in one Swann over. Kallis, meanwhile, ticked over at his own pace as he shut England out past a 105-ball 50 and towards what would be the 33rd Test century of his heavyweight career.

Their partnership was threatening three figures when Stuart Broad got one to snake past Boucher's front-foot push and hit the back pad to win an lbw verdict that was not overturned on DRS.

England had still been awaiting vindication for Andrew Strauss' decision to bowl first when Swann suddenly intervened during an extended afternoon session.

AB de Villiers and Kallis had put on 76 together, only for the former to give his wicket away with a tame chip straight to short midwicket.

Then JP Duminy fell for his second successive first-ball duck, edging behind when Swann landed one on a perfect length from round the wicket and found some telling turn.

The tourists had managed only three wickets by mid-afternoon, despite starting with a bang when Ashwell Prince was caught behind off James Anderson from only the fourth ball of a match that began half an hour late under heavy cloud cover after overnight and morning rain.

Graham Onions got Hashim Amla lbw shortly before lunch while Smith then fell to his and Anderson's first ball of the afternoon, well caught behind by a diving Matt Prior as he pushed forward in defence at an outswinger.