Neither Clarke nor Johnson, however, can claim their knock to be flawless. Clarke was dropped twice on Saturday and Johnson benefitted when Kallis grassed one at the slip this morning after the batsman had added just one run to his overnight score of 17.

Clarke, who looked shaky yesterday, was in a positive mood this morning as his confident footwork suggested. He drove and flicked with aplomb and negotiated Paul Harris without any apparent trouble.

A sharp single brought up Clarke's first century at his home ground. It was only when JP Duminy made his Test debut as an off-spinner that the batsman looked in trouble.

Eventually, it was a Duminy full toss which Clarke, trying to drive it down the ground, spooned to the bowler who dived to his left to take a sharp catch.

Two runs later, Johnson fell to Steyn when Smith took the catch in the slip, not before completing his second Test half-century.

Hauritz and Siddle also decided to make a mark with the bat and the duo added 59 runs for the ninth wicket before Harris broke the stand.

The Protea spinner first trapped Siddle and in his next over removed Hauritz after the latter had played a 48-ball cameo of 41.

When Smith and McKenzie walked out to spearhead South Africa's reply, none looked in comfort, especially against debutant Doug Bollinger.

Smith twice edged and on both occasions heaved a sigh of relief as the ball didn't carry to the slips.

... contd.