Papps ended the day on 50 with New Zealand 102 for two in the first innings. Scott Styris was the other not out batsman, on 16.

Earlier, Gary Kirsten had scored his 21st Test century, reaching 137 before getting a top edge and being caught by Papps at short third man off Daniel Vettori, the pick of New Zealand's bowlers who finished with figures of four for 158.

Also Read Day 1: Kallis hits 92 as South Africa prosper

Papps, who had a nervous start and was dropped by South Africa captain Graeme Smith before tea when he was just one, grew in stature and was powerful on both sides of the wicket.

A small man, he was peppered with short balls and had a stroke of luck soon after tea when he ducked from a Shaun Pollock bouncer but the ball hit his bat and flew to the boundary behind the wicketkeeper.

Those were his only blemishes and he reached his maiden Test half-century off 114 balls in 153 minutes and hit 11 fours.

He at first dominated the 55-run partnership he had with his skipper Stephen Fleming, before allowing the senior player to take centre stage.

The introduction of medium fast bowler Andre Nel to the attack brought some immediate drama when after just two balls, he was given an official warning by umpire Russell Tiffin of Zimbabwe for running on the pitch.

Nel was hit for two fours through the onside by Papps in that troubled over, which ended with his captain Smith having a finger-pointing argument with Tiffin. Bowling round the wicket in the next over, Nel was hit for three more fours by Fleming.

Nel recovered well, though, and his first spell of seven overs cost just 27 runs.

The first New Zealand wicket to fall was Mark Richardson, leg before to Pollock for four with the score at 20.

Fleming went at 75, from the first time he had encountered left-arm chinaman bowler Paul Adams. He went back to his first ball and was caught palpably in front and was leg before for 27.

South Africa's innings lasted longer than Fleming would have liked, but his dropping two catches, Pollock and Ntini, and Cairns giving Ntini a second life when he dropped a skier, meant the last three wickets were a frustrating time for New Zealand.

The extended innings did allow Kirsten to reach 100 and then open up and thrash a further 37 with the sterling support of number 11 batsman Nel to finish on 137.

Kirsten took 277 minutes over his century and faced 192 balls, with 14 fours.

Scorecard

South Africa 1st innings
G.Smith c Oram b Vettori 25
H.Gibbs c Styris b Vettori 40
J.Rudolph c McCullum b Styris 72
J.Kallis c Tuffey b Oram 92
G.Kirsten c Papps b Vettori 137
P.Adams b Oram 7
N.McKenzie lbw b Vettori 10
M.Boucher lbw b Styris 22
S.Pollock run out 10
M.Ntini run out 21
A.Nel not out 4
Extras (nb-12 lb-5 b-1 w-1) 19
Total (all out, 139.2overs) 459

Fall of wickets: 1-51, 2-79, 3-211, 4-271, 5-281, 6-305, 7-364, 8-379, 9-415.

Bowling: Tuffey 26-11-62-0 (nb-2 w-1), Oram 27-7-76-2, Vettori 39.2-2-158-4 (nb-3), Cairns 18-2-52-0 (nb-7), Wiseman 12-1-54-0, Styris 16-4-46-2, McMillan 1-0-5-0.

New Zealand first innings
M.Richardson lbw b Pollock 4
M.Papps not out 50
S.Fleming lbw b Adams 27
S.Styris not out 16
Extras (nb-4 lb-1) 5
Total (for two wickets, 38 overs) 102

Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-75.

Bowling: Pollock 9-3-24-1 (nb-3), Ntini 8-4-10-0, Kallis 8-4-21-0, Nel 7-2-27-0 (nb-1), Adams 6-1-19-1.

To bat: C.McMillan, C.Cairns, B.McCullum, J.Oram, D.Tuffey, P.Wiseman, D.Vettori.