Dunedin: South Africa’s Graeme Smith made 115 and Jacques Kallis an unbeaten 107 in a 200-run partnership that wrested control of the first Test from New Zealand, on Friday.

South Africa were 268-3 at stumps on the third day with a lead of 233 runs.

Smith’s 23rd Test century and Kallis’ 42nd led South Africa from crisis to comfort, allowing the Proteas to break the deadlock that had existed for most of the first two days.

South Africa trailed by 35 runs after the first innings and was 47-2, leading by only 12 runs, when veterans Smith and Kallis came together this morning. They stayed together for the next two and a half sessions and by stumps had ensured the Proteas were the only team still with a winning chance.

Neither is likely to count his century among his best in terms of fluency or style..

But weight has to be given to context and South Africa’s difficult position when their partnership began, its dominant position at stumps and the skill and effort necessary to graft runs on a slow and wearing pitch added merit to both innings. (Agencies)