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Dunedin: Captain Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum kept New Zealand's slim hopes of scoring 401 runs to beat South Africa in the first Test alive after they helped the hosts reach 137/2 at the close of the fourth day's play at University Oval in Dunedin on Saturday.
New Zealand's chances of threatening the record target, let alone saving the Test on a pitch that is displaying inconsistent bounce, rest with McCullum (58 not out) and Taylor (48 not out), who had combined for an 82-run partnership before bad light stopped play with four overs remaining.
The naturally aggressive duo had thrown away their wickets with rash strokes in the first innings and while they tempered their all-out attacking instincts they were still scoring at more than four runs an over.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith had declared their second innings on 435 for five midway through the second session on Saturday then his bowlers put New Zealand's batsmen under immense pressure with Vernon Philander consistently creating doubt just outside off stump.
Tall fast bowler Morne Morkel was also particularly aggressive and peppered New Zealand's batsmen with short-pitched bowling, hitting Rob Nicol on the body several times.
The pressure told on both opening batsmen with Martin Guptill unable to handle Philander's late away movement and he was caught at third slip by AB de Villiers for six before tea.
Nicol, who needed treatment on his left hand after he was hit by a steeply rising delivery from Morkel, wasted his earlier efforts when he got a full toss from legspinner Imran Tahir and hit the ball straight to Smith at mid-on for 19.
Smith had declared midway through the afternoon session, shortly after Jacques Rudolph had become the third player in their innings to reach a century.
Rudolph, who had resumed after lunch on 59, raced through to his sixth test century and was on 105 not out, while Mark Boucher was on 34 when the Proteas ended their innings with a lead of 400 runs.
Brief scores
South Africa 238 and 435 for 5 dec (Smith 115, Kallis 113, Rudolph 105*)
New Zealand 273 and 137 for 2 (McCullum 58*, Taylor 48*)
Status New Zealand need 264 to win
