Scorecard

AB de Villiers fell short of a century, but kept South Africa's hopes alive on the third day of the first Test against New Zealand [Images] on Monday.

De Villiers's scrapping 97 and a timely 62 from Jacques Kallis [Images] in his 100th Test lifted South Africa to the close on 280 for nine, a lead of 229, after earlier struggling on 73-4.

Number six batsman De Villiers faced 161 balls and hit 13 fours.

The home side were dismissed for 276 in their first innings, to which New Zealand replied with 327.

Inconsistent bounce and consistent bowling by the New Zealanders on Monday took their toll and South Africa lost three wickets before they erased the deficit of 51 runs.

The South Africans' problems started in the third over of the day when medium pacer Chris Martin trapped Graeme Smith [Images] in front for seven.

Three overs later they were 19 for two after Herschelle Gibbs [Images], who scored two, failed to move his feet to a delivery from left-arm paceman James Franklin and edged a catch to Scott Styris at second slip.

Boeta Dippenaar looked good in his innings of 16, but it ended when he steered a delivery from medium pacer Jacob Oram [Images] to Stephen Fleming [Images] at first slip.

LOOSE DRIVE

South Africa were reduced to 73 for four in the third over after lunch when Franklin induced a loose drive from Ashwell Prince, who was caught behind by Brendon McCullum for 11.

That brought De Villiers to the crease and he and Kallis shared 67 for the fifth wicket.

Kallis retained his composure despite facing several deliveries that passed the stumps at ankle height and one from Martin that leapt off a length before finding the shoulder of the bat and falling safely beyond gully.

But Kallis was out in the fourth over before tea when he fetched at a wide delivery from medium pacer Styris and was caught by Daniel Vettori [Images] at fine leg.

De Villiers and Mark Boucher [Images] put on 54 for the sixth wicket before Boucher drove at a delivery from medium pacer Kyle Mills and edged the ball onto his stumps to be bowled for 21.

Left-arm spinner Vettori trapped Shaun Pollock [Images] in front for 10 as South Africa slipped to 205 for seven.

But De Villiers and Boje tilted the balance back towards the home side with a stand of 65 that was ended in the third over before stumps when De Villiers drove uppishly at a ball from Oram and was caught by Franklin at extra cover.

Nine balls after that Boje prodded one of medium pacer Nathan Astle's deliveries into McCullum's gloves to be caught behind for 31.