Close - South Africa 600 for 3 dec, Zimbabwe 143 for 4 (A Flower 54*, Price 0*) HARARE (Reuters)
South Africa, boosted by three century-makers, have pressed home their advantage against Zimbabwe on the second day of the first Test. After piling up 600 for 3 declared, South Africa reduced Zimbabwe to 143 for 4 at the close, when Andy Flower was holding their innings together with 54 not out.

Former skipper Flower, Zimbabwe's most accomplished batsman, has made his runs from 65 balls and hit six fours and a six, and much rests on his shoulders if Zimbabwe are to reach the follow-on mark of 401.

South Africa, 414 for 1 overnight, lost their second wicket three balls after the morning drinks break when debutant medium-pacer Doug Hondo drew Gary Kirsten into a drive with a wide delivery and had him caught behind.

Kirsten scored 220 in more than seven hours at the crease in which he faced 286 balls and hit 33 fours and a six. He shared a second-wicket partnership of 199 with Jacques Kallis.

Kallis and Neil McKenzie added 127 for the third wicket before McKenzie skied a delivery from fast bowler Travis Friend to Hondo at fine leg. McKenzie's 52 came off 109 balls and included six fours and a six.

Allrounder Kallis scored 157 not out - three short of his best Test score - made from 272 balls; he hit 16 fours and five sixes. It was his eighth Test century.

When Zimbabwe went in, Andre Nel needed just four deliveries to claim his first Test wicket. Debutant fast bowler Nel had Alistair Campbell flashing at his fourth ball of the second over of the innings and he was caught behind by Mark Boucher without scoring.

Dion Ebrahim and Hamilton Masakadza put on 41 for the second wicket before Masakadza drove a ball from paceman Makhaya Ntini to mid-on, where McKenzie fielded on the run and threw down the stumps at the non-striker's end to run Masakadza out for 13.

Three overs later, Craig Wishart steered a low catch to Lance Klusener at first slip off Kallis to be dismissed for a duck.

Ebrahim and Flower stabilised the innings with a partnership of 82 that ended when Ebrahim rashly charged down the pitch to a delivery from debutant left-arm spinner Claude Henderson and was stumped for 71.

That error, and a sharp chance he offered when on six to Herschelle Gibbs at backward point off Pollock, blotted an otherwise composed innings by Ebrahim, who drove and cut with relish in facing 107 balls and hitting nine fours.

South Africa are playing two Tests and three one-day internationals on their tour.

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