Kallis stood up to everything the Aussies could launch at him

Jacques Kallis hit a superb unbeaten 72 to rescue South Africa on day two of the second Test against Australia.

Skipper Graeme Smith edged Brett Lee's first ball to third slip and Herschelle Gibbs was bowled by Mike Kasprowicz to leave the Proteas reeling on 10-2.

But Kallis hit 12 fours to add 130 with AB de Villiers (48) as they closed on 140-2 in Durban, still 229 runs behind.

Earlier, Mike Hussey hit 75 and Shane Warne smashed an entertaining 36 to lift the Aussies from 259-7 to 369.

They were toiling themselves when Andre Nel got the first ball of his second over to jag back and trap Andrew Symonds leg before.

Adam Gilchrist was dropped in the same over by Ashwell Prince at cover-point but soon followed one which Nel shaped away and was caught behind.

If we can break this partnership there's a good chance of taking two or three wickets quickly Mike Hussey More quotes

Hussey and Warne then frustrated the hosts by punishing a steady diet of loose bowling to put on 56.

Warne was lucky to survive a loud lbw shout against Kallis, edged the all-rounder between first and second slips and top-edged Makhaya Ntini over the wicket-keeper's head.

But by the time he cracked spinner Nicky Boje over the mid-wicket fence and pushed a single off the spinner to bring up the 300, the momentum had swung significantly.

Hussey then stepped up the scoring rate with a flurry of boundaries to set up a strong position which was accentuated when Smith guided a wide half-volley from Lee straight to Justin Langer.

Hussey batted intelligently to lift the Aussies from a sticky situation

Gibbs should have been out two balls later when he edged to Ricky Ponting at second slip but the Aussie skipper dropped a regulation chance.

His torrid stay at the wicket ended when he was late on a delivery from Kasprowicz which kept low and sent the off-stump flying.

Lee bowled with searing pace and hostility either side of the tea interval and should have had de Villiers leg before with a reverse swinging delivery but Steve Bucknor infuriated him by ruling in the batsman's favour.

Kallis was also lucky when he edged the paceman just in front of Ponting and feathered a catch behind off a no-ball but the Aussies then appeared to let the game drift.

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Ponting held back Lee and only bowled first Test hero Stuart Clark very late in the day - and the South Africans took advantage.

Kallis played some handsome shots, particularly two sweeps and a pull off Warne, to bring up his fifty off 49 balls.

De Villiers, who went into the game scratching around for runs, closed in on his half century by twice driving the leg-spinner beautifully through the covers.