Melbourne: A.B. de Villiers and Herschelle Gibbs crafted watchful half-centuries to lead South Africa to 169 for two in reply to Australia’s 355 at close on the second day of the second Test on Tuesday.

De Villiers was trapped leg-before by Glenn McGrath for 61 while Gibbs was unbeaten on 54 after Mike Hussey (122) and McGrath (11 not out) had combined in a 107-run 10th-wicket partnership to resurrect Australia’s first innings.

Jacques Kallis (17) was the other not out batsman at stumps to ensure the match was evenly poised.

Captain Graeme Smith was the only other South African wicket to fall, also trapped leg-before by Brett Lee for 22.

The 21-year-old de Villiers played several streaky shots, particularly against Lee, with cuts and mistimed hooks sailing over the slips before he brought up his sixth Test half-century with a cut off Andrew Symonds for his ninth boundary.

The normally aggressive Gibbs was more conservative than usual, before he began to attack leg-spinner Shane Warne late in the day.

He slowed his rate again as the shadows crept across the MCG, but was able to bring up his 19th Test half-century with a cover drive off Lee for his seventh boundary with three overs remaining in the day’s play.

Coach Mickey Arthur was pleased with his team’s position.

“We’re putting the emphasis on our first innings,” Arthur told newsmen.

“We felt we let an opportunity slip in Perth where we didn’t go big enough in our first innings after dismissing Australia for 250.

“Australia will hit us quite hard early. If we can absorb pressure in that first hour and then apply it, hopefully for long enough to put pressure on them.”

Hussey’s innings, however, wrested the momentum away from the visitors after he engineered a remarkable revival with McGrath that extended until the middle session.

Resuming on 239 for eight, after Andre Nel took four wickets to tear through the middle order late on Monday, the home side lost Stuart MacGill early. The leggie was bowled by Makhaya Ntini for four to leave them struggling on 248 for nine.

McGrath was expected to fall quickly but he frustrated the South African bowlers with obstinate defence to provide the perfect counter-foil to Hussey.

The 30-year-old Hussey, who was dropped on 27 by Jacques Kallis after adding just four to his overnight total, then protected McGrath magnificently, refusing singles before unleashing a succession of boundaries when the field was up.

He brought up his third Test century when he paddled a Nicky Boje delivery to backward square leg for a single.

Hussey, who made his debut earlier this season against the West Indies, has scored three centuries and a fifty for an average of 112.8 in nine innings.

A minute’s silence was held before play began because of the death of Australian media magnate Kerry Packer.

The 68-year-old, who revolutionised cricket with his breakaway World Series Cricket in the 1970s and innovative broadcast coverage through his Channel Nine network in Australia, died in his sleep overnight.