Sydney, January 3:

South Africa amassed a huge first innings total and rocked Australia with three late wickets to seize the momentum in the final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday.

The Proteas, trailing 1-0, called a halt to their stoic 11-hour occupation of the crease at 451/9, giving themselves 15 overs to bowl on the second day. And they were richly rewarded, with Australia tottering on 54/3 at stumps. Ricky Ponting, playing in his 100th Test, was on 11 and Brad Hodge out in the last over of the day for six. In the course, Ponting passed 8,000 Test runs. Australia lost Matthew Hayden (4) and Justin Langer (25), both bowled by Charl Langevelt. Hodge popped a catch to Jacques Rudolph off Andre Nel.

The South Africans grafted at under three runs an over with Kallis (111) and Ashwell Prince (119) accumulating centuries. Kallis was rock-solid in reaching his 23rd Test hundred. He faced 275 balls and hit 17 fours. Prince, who put on a record 219 for the fourth wicket with Kallis, was struck well outside off-stump to a Shane Warne leg-break. Prince hit 13 fours in his 271-ball knock.