Resistance ... Ashwell Prince stands in the Aussies' way / AP
THE LATE wicket of Mark Boucher and a controversial catch by Matthew Hayden have given Australia the honours on day one of the third Test against South Africa in Johannesburg.
Trailing 2-0 in the series, the home side was six for 238 at stumps, when bad light forced an early end to play with 11 overs remaining at Wanderers Stadium.

"I suppose the way the amount the ball moved around, maybe one or two more would have been nice," Australian vice-captain Adam Gilchrist said after South Africa had chosen to bat first on a pitch with a light covering of grass.

"But we got that late one (Mark Boucher's wicket), we've got a new ball tomorrow (after one more over), a new batsman in and obviously Ash will have to start again.

"It's pretty even."

Ashwell Prince was unbeaten on 79, his first half-century of the series. Shaun Pollock was not out four.

Pace trio Stuart Clark (2-61), Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz claimed the first four wickets to fall for for 106 runs.

South Africa had mounted some sort of recovery to reach 4-161 when Jacques Rudolph, on 25, edged a catch off Shane Warne to Hayden at first slip.

Despite doubts over whether the ball may have bounced first, Hayden claimed it and West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor raised his finger to dismiss Rudolph after a 55-run stand with Prince.

"At the time, I thought he'd got it and I haven't checked out any replays," Gilchrist said.

"I believe there has only been one replay of it and it's a little bit inconclusive but Haydos's reaction was that he had it and my gut feeling as the time was that it was there."

Wicketkeeper Boucher made 24 in a 72-run stand for the sixth wicket with Prince.

Clark continued his brilliant debut series, picking up the wickets of opener AB De Villiers (12) and Boeta Dippenaar (32) to lift his career tally to 15 from three Tests.

Lee made the key breakthrough to get acting captain Jacques Kallis (37) who was bowled by an off-cutter.

Herschelle Gibbs was bowled offering no shot to Kasprowicz and had his stumps rattled for the eighth time in 11 Test innings against Australia this summer.

The hugely talented Gibbs, who was promoted to open the batting today in the absence of injured captain Graeme Smith, has made just 60 runs at 12.00 in this three-match series.

Kallis fell with the score on 106 when Lee got one to dart back savagely to clip the top of off-stump.

"I think we would have been happy with 240 for five. Losing that last wicket I think was crucial," said Kallis.

"We knew the wicket was going to do a little bit.

"If we can get as close to 350 or 400 if possible I think would be ideal."

Andrew Symonds was also handy with his seamers, picking up Boucher's wicket lbw in the penultimate over.

South Africa
A. de Villiers c Martyn b Clark 12
H. Gibbs b Kasprowicz 16
H. Dippenaar c Gilchrist b Clark 32
J. Kallis b Lee 37
A. Prince not out 79
J. Rudolph c Hayden b Warne 25
M. Boucher lbw b Symonds 24
S. Pollock not out 4
Extras (nb9) 9
Total (6 wkts, 79 overs) 238
Falls: 1-26, 2-38, 3-97, 4-106, 5-161, 6-233
Bowling: Lee 15-6-28-1 (3nb), Clark 20-8-61-2, Kasprowicz 23-4-74-1 (4nb), Warne 13-2-49-1, Symonds 8-2-26-1 (2nb). To bat: N. Boje, A. Nel, M. Ntini.
Australia: R. Ponting, J. Langer, M. Hayden, D. Martyn, M. Hussey, A. Symonds, A. Gilchrist, S. Warne, B. Lee, M. Kasprowicz, S. Clark.
Umpires: S. Bucknor (WIS), A. Hill (NZL)
TV umpire: K. Hurter (RSA)
Match referee: C. Broad (ENG)
AAP