Aussie bowlers apply pressure ... SA 89/3
MELBOURNE -- Australia kept the leash on South Africa on a frustrating opening day of the Boxing Day cricket Test here yesterday where the elements had the final say.

Only 40 overs of a scheduled 90 were possible as heavy showers sent players from the field three times and delayed the start by 80 minutes.

At the close, the South Africans, one down in the three-match series and needing to win to keep the series alive to the New Year's Day Test in Sydney, were 89 for three with Jacques Kallis unbeaten on 22 and Neil McKenzie on 14.

Shaun Pollock's Proteas, attempting to regroup after their humiliating 246-run drubbing in the first Adelaide Test, lost the toss, were sent in to bat and struggled to build the foundations for a sorely needed big first innings.

South Africa looked to veteran fast bowler Allan Donald to instill some confidence into the team, dropping Makhaya Ntini to make way in the only change to the team.

That was even though Donald had appeared troubled by a foot injury in a tour match in Sydney last weekend.

Australia's premier fast bowler Glenn McGrath gave the home side the impetus of a key wicket when he snapped up Herschelle Gibbs in between rain interruptions.

Gibbs, who scored 78 in the first Test, edged to Ricky Ponting at third slip to be out for 14.

Three balls later torrential rain swept the ground forcing the players from the field for the second time.

An early tea was taken but 15 minutes into the extended evening session Gary Kirsten became McGrath's second victim when the experienced left-hander chopped on to his stumps for 10.

"I thought we bowled pretty well to have them three for 80-odd off 40 overs and if we can keep bowling as well as we have, we'll be looking for some early wickets today," said McGrath.

"At the moment, it's about building pressure, if we can break the partnership out there now, that will be the key to their batting and also to keeping them down to a reasonable total."

Both openers were gone for 36 with Australia's three pace bowlers applying the pressure with tight line and length.

Boeta Dippenaar, who kept his Test spot with a slashing century against New South Wales last weekend, was out for the second time in the series to a blinding catch.

Ponting took a diving screamer to dismiss him for three in the first innings of the Adelaide Test, and he was out again to another super catch -- this time by Matt Hayden in the gully.

Hayden flung out his right hand to pluck a diving catch to give Brett Lee Dippenaar's wicket for 26.

"Ricky Ponting said Matty's was the catch of the season, even better than his one on Dippenaar in Adelaide," said McGrath.

Dippenaar had looked in good touch, hitting four boundaries in his 71-minute stay.

Kallis had two early lives. Ponting got a hand to a hard chance in the slips when Kallis was on six and just after last drinks Lee put him down on 11 when he hooked Andy Bichel to fine leg.

Lee did well to get to the ball, but distracted by his close proximity to the boundary rope he spilt a running chest-high chance.

Kallis made good his two let-offs to crack leg-spinner Shane Warne for six over long-off, just a ball before the onset of more rain which forced umpires to abandon play for the day at 6:27pm (0727 GMT).

"Kallis didn't seem to handle the short-pitched stuff too well and he didn't look that comfortable, so you just never know today," said McGrath.

The Boxing Day Test is regarded as the showpiece of the Australian cricket calendar but it has a history of abysmal weather and a crowd of almost 62000 once again endured the worse of it yesterday.

Play will start half-an-hour early today and finish 30 minutes later to make up some of the lost time.

Up to tea only 59 minutes of play was possible as Melbourne's fickle weather frustrated attempts for prolonged periods of play with the ground's floodlights switched on.

The recall of Donald was interpreted by some commentators as a gamble given the 35-year-old's battle with fitness in recent years.

Donald, cleared to play after a session in the nets on Christmas Eve, left the field against New South Wales in Sydney last weekend after bowling two overs in the second innings. He later bowled two more overs to finish with 0/27 -- and 1/191 on tour.

Andy Bichel came into the Australian team for injured paceman Jason Gillespie.

It is Bichel's sixth Test appearance and in the corresponding Boxing Day Test last year against the West Indies the Queenslander took 5/60 in the first innings. -- Sapa-AFP