Promising start halted by Cape Town centurion Kallis

Kallis (108 not out) shared 50 stands with AB de Villiers (36), Mark Boucher (51) and Dale Steyn (26no) to stall England's ambition as two top-six batsmen made ducks on day one of the third Test at Newlands.

The consequence of Kallis' sefforts was a stumps total of

279-6, after South Africa had stumbled to 127-5 at one stage.

Kallis was already a centurion this winter, in the drawn first Test, and gave England another taste of the medicine with an immovable and chanceless 173-ball reprise.

The nearest they came to shifting him was a rare false shot on 64, when his mis-pull at Graham Onions steepled safely 40 yards behind the batting crease for two fortunate runs.

Kallis's and Boucher's resolve was much needed in mid-afternoon after Graeme Swann extended his astonishing series with two wickets in two balls to take his winter tally to 16 so far.

Boucher responded with a typical counter-attack, which gathered early momentum with three successive off-side fours in one over from Swann.

Kallis, meanwhile, was unhurried as he shut England out on his way to the 33rd Test century of his heavyweight career – and his third in succession against these opponents on this ground.

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

De Villiers and Kallis put on 76, only for the former to

give himself away with a tame chip straight to short mid-wicket.

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.

England were perhaps sensing a shortcut to further success but with their contrasting tempos, Kallis and Boucher soon proved otherwise.

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

Kallis found a new ally in Steyn, though, either side of the second new ball which was taken under floodlights and almost spelled the end for the No 8, who escaped a tough chance at third slip where Jonathan Trott could not hold on off the bowling of James Anderson.

The tourists had started with a bang when Ashwell Prince was caught behind off Anderson from only the fourth ball of a match which began half an hour late after overnight and morning rain.

South Africa would have been two wickets down for one run after seven balls had Swann held a regulation second-slip catch when Graeme Smith chased and edged Onions's first delivery.

Smith's opening partner Prince was already gone for a duck, gloving behind a brute of a ball which shaped to swing into the left-hander and then kicked and held its line.

When Swann then gave Smith his let-off, all the chatter – until the home captain fell to Anderson after lunch – was whether a turning point in the series had just taken place.

Swann was posted at second rather than third slip, because usual incumbent Paul Collingwood was tucked away at long leg to ensure the finger he dislocated in Durban was out of the firing line.

England lead 1-0 with two to play but, at a venue where South Africa have a formidable record, knew they would need to do everything right to consolidate their advantage.

The first of their two DRS appeals was lost when first change Broad thought he had No 3 Hashim Amla caught behind, only for Daryl Harper's initial decision to stand.

Onions did get Amla lbw shortly before lunch, though, when he played across full-length swing and missed.

Smith then fell to his and Anderson's first ball of the afternoon, well caught behind by the diving Matt Prior as he pushed forward in defence at an outswinger.

Anderson was England's most likely wicket-taker throughout, regularly finding some swing and extra bounce available in danger areas from the Kelvin Grove end.

It was testament to Kallis's skill and determination that England, and their most potent pace bowler in particular, did not inflict more damage on evidently vulnerable hosts.

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3rd Test

South Africa v England

Cape Town: England Won Toss

South Africa First Innings

G C Smith c Prior b Anderson 30

A G Prince c Prior b Anderson 0

H M Amla lbw b Onions 14

J H Kallis not out 108

A B de Villiers c Strauss b Swann 36

J P Duminy c Prior b Swann 0

M V Boucher lbw b Broad 51

D W Steyn not out 26

Extras b1 lb11 w1 nb1 14

Total 6 wkts (83.2 overs) 279

Fall: 1-1 2-46 3-51 4-127 5-127 6-216.

To Bat: M Morkel, P L Harris, F de Wet.

Bowling: Anderson 20 1 62 2; Onions 18.2 3 60 1; Broad 19 6 54 1; Swann 22 1 74 2; Pietersen 4 0 17 0.