With spin expected to take an increasingly significant role in the Cape Town match, South Africa made a strong beginning in its quest to surpass India's record score in South Africa of 414 on the second day of the third Test.
Graeme Smith (76no) and Hashim Amla (50no) had an unbroken second wicket stand of 130 underway as South Africa went to stumps on 1-144.
Earlier, India benefited from an innings of 64 by Sachin Tendulkar and 66 from Sourav Ganguly. Virender Sehwag, dropped down the order in a bid to restore his form, hit 40, but the lower-order failed to fire in the face of tight bowling from Shaun Pollock and Paul Harris. Five wickets fell for 19 runs.
Tendulkar and VVS Laxman had appeared settled, but an especially accurate spell from Dale Steyn saw Laxman's patient innings ended with late outswing knocking his off stump over when he had scored 13.
Ganguly was given a short-pitched barrage and despite some fended balls falling just short of fieldsmen he survived the onslaught to partner Tendulkar in a significant stand for their side.
More statistics fell Tendulkar's way during the innings as he became the scorer of most Test runs away from home. He has played 75 Tests out of India for 5737 runs at an average of 54.63. That is one more than Lara who has played 66 Tests outside the West Indies.
However, he eventually fell to left-arm spinner Paul Harris, playing his first Test, while Ganguly battled through the final stages and was the last man dismissed. Harris ended with 4-129 while Pollock took 4-75.
In South Africa's innings, AB de Villiers was the only wicket to fall caught behind off an edged ball from Sreesanth.
Smith was in dominating mood and played his best innings of the series and in the process passed 4000 runs in Test cricket.
