Amla was batting with supreme confidence as the lead grew

South Africa were primed for one of their biggest wins in Tests as New Zealand were steamrollered on day three of the first Test in Johannesburg.

Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla hit centuries in a superb stand of 330 before the Proteas declared on 422-3.

And New Zealand, needing a record 531 for victory, reached stumps on 57-3.

Injuries and illness added to New Zealand's woe, with Shane Bond ruled out of the tour and Jacob Oram and Michael Papps requiring treatment.

Bond broke down with an abdominal muscle tear after bowling four overs and will be out of action for four to six weeks.

Oram also limped out of the attack after removing Kallis for 186 while Stephen Fleming was another player in the wars, suffering a bruised forearm, but was forced to open the batting given that a sick Papps was absent.

606: DEBATE Kallis is the greatest cricketer of our generation and unquestionably now goes ahead of Sir Gary Sobers as the greatest all-rounder of all time EaStMiDz

Kallis was three short of his Test best score of 189 when edging Oram to Brendon McCullum to end a 262-ball effort - his 28th Test century.

Amla, who finished unbeaten on 176, had been first to his century, only his second in Tests, when hitting a leg-glance off Chris Martin for four in the morning session.

Kallis reached three figures after the drinks break with an exhilarating six over wide mid-on off Dan Vettori.

And he cut loose after being dropped by sub fielder Michael Mason at mid-off moments later.

He soon became the eighth batsman in Test history to score 9,000 runs, but a double century remained elusive.

Amla reached his 150 off 331 balls with 21 fours, passing his previous highest Test score of 149, which came against the same opponents in Cape Town in 2005-07.

But either side of tea, the spectators were treated to a dour period of play, with Amla and Ashwell Prince unwilling to up the scoring, putting on 72 in 28.2 overs before the declaration came.

It seemed inevitable that New Zealand would lose wickets in the 17 overs of batting they had before stumps.

Graeme Smith took two smart slip catches - for a phenomenal tally of 69 in 57 Tests - to remove Craig Cumming and Fleming before Ross Taylor sliced his second ball to Kallis, also standing in the slip cordon.