Patient batting by captain Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis enabled South Africa to reach 151 for two wickets at tea on the first day of the second test at Kingsmead Stadium on Saturday.
Smith and Kallis had come together with the score on 10-2 in the 10th over of the innings. In the period up to lunch they added 57 for the third wicket, and in the second session they added a further 84 runs in 29 overs.
Between lunch and tea there was not as much movement and bounce on offer to the bowlers and with the ball getting older the South African pair slowly got on top. Smith and Kallis both hit seven fours, the latter going to his fifty off an edge through the vacant first slip area off part-time medium pacer Jonathan Trott.
Earlier England took two early wickets after losing the toss, but Smith and Kallis guided their side through a tough first session to reach lunch on 67 for two.
Smith had opted to bat first on winning the toss, but South Africa opener Ashwell Prince, playing in his 50th test, was caught at third slip by Graeme Swann for just two off James Anderson in the third over. Prince was forced to play at a ball which swung and bounced, catching the shoulder of the bat and flying to the slips.
The in-form Hashim Amla was the other wicket to fall when he was trapped in front by England all-rounder Stuart Broad in the 10th over, also for just two runs.
Kallis and particularly Smith had to then survive some excellent bowling from the England seamers. Graham Onions had Smith playing and missing several times, moving the ball both ways off the seam.
Smith, who had both his little fingers broken while batting in different series against Australia last summer, took a blow on his left index finger from a ball by Anderson in the 11th over, and had to receive treatment on the field.
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