South Africa were 164 for three at tea, with second Test century-maker Jacques Kallis again holding the key to his team's fortunes. Kallis was 47 not out.

Smith and Kallis appeared to be playing South Africa into a strong position during a third wicket stand of 75 before Giles struck.

Smith should have been out for 70 when he went on a sweep against Giles. The ball deflected off the bottom edge of his bat onto his pad and looped up for wicketkeeper Geraint Jones to take what seemed an easy catch.

But Smith stood his ground while the players celebrated and umpire Daryl Harper gave him not out.

The South African captain added only four more runs, however, before Giles dismissed him in his next over, with Smith walking after edging a ball which went off Jones' thigh to Marcus Trescothick at slip.

Smith won the toss for the third successive time but it was England, leading 1-0 in the five-match series, who gained the initiative on a hard, true pitch when Herschelle Gibbs was out in the third over with just nine runs scored.

The out-of-form Gibbs misjudged the line of a ball from Matthew Hoggard and padded up to a delivery which moved in slightly off the pitch and hit his off-stump.

It was a repeat of his dismissal by Hoggard in the second Test in Durban.

Smith and Jacques Rudolph put on 69 before Rudolph was out for 26 shortly before lunch, caught behind by Geraint Jones off an inside edge from Simon Jones.

Rudolph had twice gained boundaries off the inside edge off the same bowler before his dismissal.