South Africa have a 53-run lead over New Zealand in the first Test in Dunedin, but have lost two wickets on their way to lunch on the third day.

Captain Graeme Smith was on 36, and Jacques Kallis on 22 at the interval, as they look to set New Zealand a difficult total on a pitch that is expected to become more difficult to play on.

They went to lunch at 2-88.

There is concern for New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum, who was taken to hospital after diving over the boundary rope trying to stop a four.

Team medical staff are saying little other than he has suffered bruising and the trip to hospital is a precautionary measure.

Opener Alviro Petersen, who had looked to attack and had found the boundary four times in his 25, survived a couple of close calls before going when the score was 45.

He tried to drive a ball from Doug Bracewell, but it lobbed at a catchable height to Tim Southee at mid-off.

The New Zealanders were even more delighted four balls later, in the same Bracewell over, when Martin Guptill took a one-handed catch at second slip to dismiss Hashim Amla cheaply.

Guptill, diving outstretched to his right to pluck the ball millimetres off the grass, got rid of the dangerous Amla for two.

New Zealand started the day at 9-243, a lead of five runs on South Africa’s first innings of 238, which tailender Trent Boult stretched to 35 with a few lofty blows.

He connected with four consecutive Vernon Philander deliveries for three sixes and a four, but Chris Martin fell the next over to Dale Steyn, caught at short leg by Amla.

Boult scored 33 off 28 balls.

Steyn ended with figures of 2-79, but Philander had the best figures, despite Boult’s onslaught, to end with 4-72.