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Wellington: Alviro Petersen and JP Duminy stroked half centuries in an unbroken 140-run partnership to guide South Africa to 246 for two at stump on the second day of the third and final Test against New Zealand at the Basin Reserve.
Petersen, who was dropped by Martin Guptill on 68 after nicking a Doug Bracewell delivery, was on 96 while Duminy was on 76 as the visitors steadily accumulated runs after play finally resumed at 1425 local (0125 GMT).
Persistent rain in Wellington had again delayed the start of play for more than four hours. More than three hours of play were lost on Friday before poor light ended the day early.
Resuming on 136 for two, Petersen and Duminy were rarely troubled as New Zealand's attack battled a howling northerly wind that several times forced them to halt their run-ups in the delivery stride from both ends of the ground.
Petersen had survived a loud lbw shout on the first ball of the day from Chris Martin and was then dropped by Guptill, who dived full length to where third slip would have been standing, only to have the ball strike his forearm.
Duminy brought up his fourth Test half century when he top-edged the next delivery over the slips for his sixth boundary.
There was some bad news for South Africa, however, when top-order batsman Hashim Amla was ruled out of the rest of the match after he had emergency surgery in Wellington.
Amla, who scored 63 on Friday, deflected a Martin delivery into his groin area on Friday and had surgery for "blunt force trauma", the team said.
South Africa only need to draw the game to seal the three-match series after they won the second Test at Seddon Park in Hamilton by nine wickets.
Brief scores
South Africa 246 for 2 (Petersen 96*, Duminy 76*)
