South Africa v India: Jacques Kallis close to century in final Test match

Jacques Kallis hit an unbeaten 78 to help South Africa reach 299-5 against India in Durban on the third day of his final Test match.

The 38-year-old all-rounder was given a guard of honour by India as he went out to bat and hit 10 boundaries in a 224-ball knock before rain curtailed play.

Kallis and AB de Villiers (74) put on a fourth-wicket stand of 127 to lift South Africa from 113-3.

They trail India, who scored 334 in their first innings, by 35 runs.

South Africa openers Graeme Smith (47) and Alviro Petersen (62) added 21 runs to their overnight score of 82 without loss, before skipper Smith was well caught by Shikhar Dhawan running back from cover off the bowling of spinner Ravindra Jadeja.

Mohammed Shami then bowled Hashim Amla (3) to bring Kallis to the crease.

However, India's tribute to Kallis may have affected Petersen's concentration because he gloved the next ball to Murali Vijay at slip off the bowling of Jadeja, who later accounted for De Villiers and JP Duminy (28) to end the day with figures of 4-87.

South Africa vice-captain De Villiers, who passed 50 in an innings for the 10th consecutive Test match, feels that his side will struggle to chase down a big total batting fourth on a deteriorating pitch.

"The game is very much in the balance. Keeping in mind that we are batting last on the wicket, we need a lead of 100," he said.

"The wicket is doing a bit which will make it difficult for us to get that lead."

The first Test of the two-match series ended in a draw after South Africa fell eight runs short of a world-record run chase in Johannesburg.