Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath gave Australia a strong start in the third Test after making in-roads into the South African batting on the rain-delayed opening day at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday.
The match began after lunch as the entire morning session succumbed to rain and skipper Graeme Smith won the toss and batted on a greenish pitch under cloudy skies.
AB de Villiers was dropped by Ricky Ponting at second slip off McGrath on two before he was caught behind off Lee for no addition to his score in the sixth over of the innings.
Herschelle Gibbs, who scored 94 in the first innings of the second Test, was bowled by McGrath for 27 in the 11th over of a 12-over first spell.
Smith yet again failed to go on after getting a start and fell leg before wicket to Lee for 39 in 125 minutes to leave his team at 86 for three.
In the series, Smith has had scores of 34, 30, 22, 25 and 39.
At tea, South Africa were 103 for three with Jacques Kallis on 14 and Ashwell Prince not out 8.
Lee and McGrath got appreciable movement in the humid air and off the pitch to trouble the South African batsmen in the extended middle session to make up some of the lost playing time.
Australia lead the series 1-0 after their 184-run victory in the second Melbourne Test last week.
The South Africans gave a Test debut to off-spinner Johan Botha, who was preferred to left-arm spinner Nicky Boje, while seamer Charl Langeveldt came in for injured strike bowler Makhaya Ntini.
Australia went in with both of their leg-spinners Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill on an anticipated spin-friendly SCG pitch.
Australian captain Ponting became only the ninth Australian to play 100 Tests in this Test match. – Sapa-AFP