New Zealand paceman Chris Martin claimed two early wickets

South Africa's chances of squaring the series with New Zealand suffered a knock as they lost three early wickets in their second innings in Wellington.

Chasing 234 to win, the visitors had been reduced to 82-3 when bad light stopped play, with Chris Martin claiming two wickets.

It would have been worse if not for Graeme Smith and Gary Kirsten's stand of 47 to steady the innings.

New Zealand, who lead the series 1-0, made 252 in their second innings.

The home side had started the day on 128-5 in their second innings, and went on to add 124 more runs, before two wickets for Nicky Boje, one each for Andre Nel and Makhaya Ntini and a run-out finished them off.

Scott Styris was New Zealand's top scorer in the second innings, caught and bowled by Andre Nel for 73, and Boje recorded figures of 4-69 to go with his 4-65 in the first innings.

It's a matter of us not going searching for wickets, just keeping the intensity on John Bracewell

South Africa's reply got off to a confident start with Smith and Herschelle Gibbs scoring freely, until Gibbs was caught by New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming off the bowling of Martin with the score on 29.

Only two more runs were added before Martin bowled Jacques Rudolph for a duck, and when Jacques Kallis was out lbw to Jacob Oram for one, South Africa were reeling on 36-3.

But this brought the veteran Kirsten to the crease, and by stumps he had made 19, alongside Smith's 46, to restore an element of calm to the South African innings and set up a fascinating final day's play.

New Zealand coach John Bracewell said the match was in the balance.

He said: "If they can get through the first hour without losing a wicket, they hold the advantage. Until then it's even-stevens.

"Bowlers have dominated the match so far but it's a matter of us not going searching for wickets tomorrow, just keeping the intensity on."

South Africa: Graeme Smith (capt), Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Rudolph, Jacques Kallis, Gary Kirsten, Martin van Jaarsveld, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, Nicky Boje, Makhaya Ntini, Andre Nel.