PORT ELIZABETH, Nov 18: Jacques Kallis and Shaun Pollock batted comfortably to keep South Africa in command before bad light ended play on the third day of the second Test against India on Sunday.

South Africa were 211 for five, with a lead of 372, when play finished 14 overs early.

Kallis was 84 not out with Pollock on 38 in an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 72.

All-rounder Kallis had been at the crease for four and a half hours, having hit six fours and a six in 201 balls.

The home side scored 362 in their first innings, to which India replied with 201. The visitors resumed on 182 for eight and were all out in the eighth over of the day with fast bowler Pollock taking five for 40.

The South African captain took his fifth wicket when he trapped Laxman in front for 89, India’s top score. Laxman batted for three hours, facing 121 balls and hit 12 fours.

He shared a partnership of 80 with Anil Kumble, surpassing the previous ninth-wicket record of 77 for India against South Africa by Kapil Dev and Kumble at the same Port Elizabeth venue in 1992-93.

The innings ended when Kumble slashed a delivery from fast bowler Mornantau Hayward to Gary Kirsten in the gully to be dismissed for 28.

South Africa lost their first wicket in the fifth over when Kirsten, on five, edged a ball from paceman Javagal Srinath towards the slip cordon, where second slip Laxman took the catch despite third slip Virender Sehwag diving across him.

Three overs later, South Africa were reduced to 22 for two when Herschelle Gibbs was bowled for 12 by a delivery from Agarkar that moved sharply off the seam and hit the top of off stump.

Just four more runs were added off the next 27 deliveries before Neil McKenzie steered a thin edge to wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta to be caught for two and earn Srinath his second wicket.

Boeta Dippenaar scored 28 in a stabilising fourth-wicket stand of 65 that ended when Dippenaar was adjudged caught at silly point by Virender Sehwag off the bowling of off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

The same combination struck again in identical fashion 12 overs later to remove dangerous all-rounder Lance Klusener for 29.

Two balls after reaching his 50, Kallis survived a sharp chance when VVS Laxman at second slip dropped a one-handed catch off fast bowler Ajit Agarkar.

Srinath took two for four in his first spell of eight overs, six of which were maidens. He ended the day with figures of two for 19.