Big-talking South African skipper Graeme Smith suffered another blow to his pride but the tourists recovered to reach 3-230 against Australia at stumps on the first day of the third Test.

Jacques Kallis (80 not out) and Ashwell Prince (62 not out) shared an unbeaten fourth-wicket stand of 144 at the SCG to steady South Africa's innings.

Kallis missed the first Test with an elbow problem and had treatment for the injury during his innings.

The 96-Test veteran scored his first half-century of the series after making 23 and nine in last week's second Test in Melbourne.

The 30-year-old Kallis has seen his world batting ranking slip from No.1 to No.5 in the past week but stood firm for 226 minutes despite obvious pain.

Left-hander Prince, 28, also scored his first half-century of the series to help blunt Australia's attack which began well but lost its edge after tea.

South Africa went to tea at 3-103 before piling on 127 runs in the closing session, facing a total of 74 overs for the day.

Explosive paceman Brett Lee had put Australia on top by removing openers AB De Villiers for two and Smith for 39 while Glenn McGrath claimed Herschelle Gibbs for 27 with an off-cutter that jagged back between bat and pad.

Lee (2-42) leapt for joy after trapping Smith lbw at 3-86.

Smith had survived a confident caught-behind appeal off the bowling of Andrew Symonds on 31.

Smith has infuriated the Australians, describing their habit of constantly appealing as "annoying", attacking rival skipper Ricky Ponting's leadership style as not assertive and accusing Shane Warne of being a "frustrated captain".

Left-hander Smith, who averages over 52 in his 43 Tests, shook his head furiously after being given out and walked slowly from the field to the boos of the SCG crowd of 36,882.

It was the fifth time in five hits this series Smith had been out between 20 and 40 as the skipper failed to shake off criticism from Warne that the South African was having too much to say and not backing it up on the field.

Ponting, playing his 100th Test, was also booed by the crowd for the puzzling decision of bowling part-timer Mike Hussey for two overs before finally bringing on NSW leg-spinner Stuart MacGill, who also failed to get a breakthrough.

Monday's first session was lost to light rain and half an hour was added to the other two sessions.

Australia leads the three-match series 1-0.

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