Close South Africa 239 and 307 for 4 (Kirsten 87, Smith 68, Kallis 73) are 164 ahead of Australia (382)
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South Africa produced a solid batting performance on the third day of the second Test at Newlands – but Shane Warne took three crucial wickets to give Australia a chance of the victory that would clinch the three-match series.

Gary Kirsten, newcomer Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis all made half-centuries as South Africa reached 307 for 4 by the close, an overall lead of 164 after trailing by 143 runs on the first innings.

But Warne sent down 42 overs on a hot, cloudless day and took 3 for 100 to prevent the South Africans from wresting overall control. With the fast bowlers getting no help from a good batting pitch, Steve Waugh called for a special effort from his star spin bowler, who was playing in his 100th Test. Warne bowled non-stop for more than two hours at the start of the day. He bowled four spells in all, including being called back into the attack when the second new ball was only five overs old.

Despite Warne's efforts, South Africa produced their most consistent batting performance in five Tests against Australia this season. If they can continue in similar vein tomorrow they will have a chance of forcing a win, after suffering four demoralising defeats in a row.

And if they need any more incentive, South Africa need only to share the current three-match series to take the title of world champions away from Australia, who won the first match at Johannesburg.

Kirsten, South Africa's most-capped player and their leading Test runscorer, made 87 and shared two valuable partnerships – 84 for the first wicket with Herschelle Gibbs, and 99 for the second with Smith, another left-hander.

The tall, powerfully built Smith, 21, owed his place to the withdrawal of the experienced Daryll Cullinan after a contract dispute. He failed in the first innings, being caught at third slip off Glenn McGrath for 3. And he had a testing time at first today, playing out two successive maidens from Warne before turning him to leg for two to score his first runs. But Smith then settled down to play positively, reaching a 95-ball half-century by taking ten runs off a rare over of offspin from Mark Waugh.

But Smith slowed down during a 71-run partnership for the third wicket with Kallis. He took another 52 balls to advance to 68, before he was caught behind off Warne. It was the last over before the second new ball became due. The ball turned in and brushed Smith's pad on its way through to Adam Gilchrist. Smith was given out, but TV replays suggested that the ball had missed the inside edge. Smith hit nine boundaries in his 147-ball innings.

Late in the day Warne, who had made the first breakthrough when he had Herschelle Gibbs caught pad-bat at silly mid-off for 39, added the key wicket of Kallis, who was trapped lbw by one that hurried straight through as he pushed forward. Kallis had made an elegant 73 from 96 balls, with 12 fours.

Earlier Kirsten and Gibbs put on 84 for the first wicket. It was their first substantial opening stand since they added 87 at Adelaide in the first match of the recent series in Australia. They had not gone beyond 37 in eight starts since.

Gibbs stroked seven fours in his 39, made from 90 balls. Kirsten was eventually trapped lbw by Brett Lee when he went back on his stumps and was struck on the back pad. He had faced 182 balls and hit 11 fours.

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