South Africa's cricketers were battling to save the second Test and series against Pakistan at close of play on the third day on Sunday.

Having conceded a first innings lead of 70 to Pakistan, South Africa lost the key wicket of skipper Graeme Smith 65 (115 balls, 6 fours) three overs before close to finish on 140 for three just 70 runs ahead.

Play ended six overs before scheduled time due to bad light.

South Africa started their second innings 36 minutes after lunch after bowling out Pakistan for 348 with Shaun Pollock finishing with impressive figures of 6-78, his 16th five-wickets-in-an-innings haul in 76 matches.

Smith then took over scoring his first fifty since his 257 against England at Lord's in July and the fourth of his career.

But he saw Herschelle Gibbs and Boeta Dippenaar fall before being dismissed himself adjudged leg before to pacer Shabbir Ahmed at the total of 128.

The big left hander found his form at the right moment but was fortunate to have survived two missed chances.

He appeared to have edged the ball down the leg side after facing just three balls but wicketkeeper Moin Khan couldn't hold on to the difficult chance.

MISSED CHANCE

Moin also missed a chance to stump him out when he was 21 off Danish Kaneria.

Gary Kirsten who came into bat after the fall of Dippenaar at 93 for two stood firm with another solid innings of 27 from 55 balls striking four fours till close.

For Pakistan Shabbir Ahmed, who took four wickets in the first innings, was again hard working but Abdul Razzaq and Mushtaq Ahmed were disappointing.

Razzaq went for 25 in three overs and Mushtaq conceded 22 in his first two overs before settling down.

Pakistan won the first Test in Lahore by eight wickets and are searching for their first series win over South Africa.

Earlier Pollock played an instrumental role in bringing his team back into the match after Pakistan resumed on a strong 237 for 2 looking for a big lead with centurion Imran Farhat 128 and Inzamam at the crease.

But Pollock with figures of 5 for 46 in the day supported well by Makhaya Ntini 2-64 ensured Pakistan's lead was not a big one.

Scorecard:

South Africa first innings: 278 (Herschelle Gibbs 98, Gary Kirsten 54, Shabbir Ahmed 4-74).

Pakistan first innings: (overnight 237-2)
Taufeeq Umar c Gibbs b Adams 68
Imran Farhat c Peterson b Pollock 128
Yasir Hameed c Gibbs b Pollock 21
Inzamam-ul-Haq lbw b Pollock 23
Asim Kamal c Pollock b Ntini 1
Shoaib Malik c Smith b Pollock 9
Abdul Razzaq c (sub) Rudolph b Ntini 37
Moin Khan c Gibbs b Kallis 18
Mushtaq Ahmed lbw Pollock 6
Shabbir Ahmed not out 24
Danish Kaneria c Smith b Pollock 0

Extras: (b-3 lb-8 w-1 nb-1) 13

Total: (all out, 116.2 overs) 348

Fall of wickets: 1-137, 2-178, 3-248, 4-251, 5-257, 6-261, 7-293, 8-309, 9-339, 10-348.

Bowling: Pollock 29.2-9-78-6 (1-nb), Ntini 29-9-64-2 (1-w), Kallis 22-4-57-1, Peterson 8-1-40-0, Adams 25-5-82-1, Smith 3-0-16-0.

South Africa second innings:
G.Smith lbw b Shabbir Ahmed 65
H.Gibbs lbw b Danish Kaneria 20
B.Dippenaar lbw b Shoaib Malik 21
G.Kirsten not out 27
N.McKenzie not out 0

Extras: (b-1 lb-2 w-2 nb-2) 7

Total: (for 3 wickets, 44 overs) 140

To bat: J.Kallis, M.Boucher, S.Pollock, R.Peterson, P.Adams, M.Ntini.

Fall of wickets: 1-42, 2-92, 3-65.

Bowling: Shabbir Ahmed 11-3-23-1 (1-nb, 2-w), Abdul Razzaq 4-1-25-0, Danish Kaneria 10-1-36-1, Shoaib Malik 11-4-21-1, Mushtaq Ahmed 8-3-32-0 (1-nb).