Tendulkar prepares to tuck into a loose ball from Morne Morkel

India reached 103-3 in reply to South Africa's 328 all out before bad light brought an early end to day two of the second Test in Durban.

Sachin Tendulkar compiled a patient 46 not out after being dropped by opposing skipper Graeme Smith on 21, while VVS Laxman was unbeaten on 10.

India lost Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid and Wasim Jaffer after Ashwell Prince had made 121 for the hosts.

It was Prince's fifth Test century and included 16 fours.

I was up early this morning watching the Aussies get all the runs, hoping I'd get a hundred too, Ashwell Prince More reaction

Having resumed on 98 not out, it was a huge relief when he drove Shanthakumaran Sreesanth to the cover boundary to reach three figures after being dismissed for 97 during the first Test in Johannesburg.

Prince found reliable support from newcomer Morne Morkel in a ninth-wicket stand of 39 before departing when Sreesanth (4-109) found the edge with the second new ball and Laxman took a high slip catch.

South Africa's resistance continued with Morkel and Makhaya Ntini adding a further 32 runs for the last wicket, but Ntini was eventually leg-before to spinner Anil Kumble, leaving Morkel unbeaten on 31.

India's reply began miserably when Sehwag was brilliantly caught by AB de Villiers diving right at second slip off the first ball he faced, bowled by Andre Nel.

Prince was rewarded for a patient and determined innings

Once again Sehwag was guilty of a loose waft outside off stump and it was the 10th time he has been dismissed for 10 or under during 2006.

Shortly after lunch, skipper Dravid was out lbw for 11 to an angled ball from Nel as the South African seam attack tightened their grip, although TV replays suggested it would have cleared the top of the stumps.

Newcomer Morkel was introduced as first change by South Africa, but he proved expensive as Jaffer picked off two fours in his second over and Tendulkar found the boundary from two successive deliveries in his next.

He was soon withdrawn by Smith and South Africa succeeded in stifling the scoring before Jaffer, after a spell of five maiden overs, fell to Ntini for 26 with the total on 61 as de Villiers claimed another slip catch.

India survived another wobble shortly afterwards when Smith put down a straightforward chance at first slip from the edge of Tendulkar's bat off Andrew Hall.

The visitors reached tea on 93-3 and brought the 100 up soon after the re-start but the players were then forced to leave the field with 30 overs lost.

India lead the series 1-0 after winning the first Test by 123 runs.