South Africa’s batting practice at the SCG dragged on into the final session of their three-day tour match with Australia A as the visitors reached 6-277 at tea on Sunday.

The Proteas’ two most impressive batsmen in the match, Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla, both retired soon after reaching their half centuries to give teammates a chance to bat on a placid SCG pitch.

On Saturday, Smith fell on his sword after reaching 60, and Amla followed suit on Sunday, pulling the pin after chalking up 53 runs in response to Australia A’s 7(dec)-480.

The tactic appeared to work, with Jacques Rudolph (39), JP Duminy (31) and AB de Villiers (24) all getting starts and blowing out the cobwebs before the first Test at the Gabba starting on Friday.

Fringe Test batsman Faf du Plessis (24 not out) and fast bowler Vernon Philander (7 not out) took the visitors to tea with an unbeaten partnership of 19.

Spinning allrounder Glenn Maxwell added to his wicket of Alviro Petersen (38) on Saturday by removing Rudolph just before tea.

The 24-year-old Victorian enticed an edge from Rudolph which was snapped up by John Hastings at first slip.

Maxwell returned the favour by taking the catch which ended de Villiers’ innings off the bowling of economical paceman Hastings, who had figures of 1-32 off 23 overs at the tea break.

Earlier, Australia A skipper Andrew McDonald made the first real breakthrough of the day when he had JP Duminy chopping onto his stumps for 31.