Ntini, Steyn wreck New Zealand top order

JOHANNESBURG, May 5 (Reuters) Soouth Africa's Makhaya Ntini and Dale Steyn shared three wickets to rock New Zealand on the first day of the third test in Johannesburg today.

New Zealand reached lunch on 50 for three after they lost the toss and were put in to bat on a lively pitch.

Stephen Fleming was 24 not out with Nathan Astle on 20 in an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 48 that represented a recovery after the visitors crashed to three for two in the seventh over.

Fast bowler Ntini had Jamie How caught by AB de Villiers at third slip with the eighth ball of the match and without a run on the board.

New Zealand had yet to score their first run four overs later when Michael Papps edged a jagging inswinger from Ntini onto his stumps.

The visitors needed 33 deliveries to move off the mark, and they did so when Fleming drove fast bowler Steyn down the ground for two runs.

Those were the only runs on the board when Scott Styris edged a delivery from Ntini and was spectacularly caught by De Villiers diving to his left at third slip.

Other deliveries sailed through the slip cordon in the rest of the session but none went to hand until the last ball before lunch.

A thick edge from Fleming to a delivery from Steyn flew at a comfortable height to second slip, were Jacques Kallis dropped what should have been a simple catch.

Ntini took two for six from eight overs.

Allrounder Shaun Pollock, who missed the drawn second test in Cape Town with a stiff lower back, returned to the South African team at the expense of fast bowler Andre Nel, while medium pacer Andrew Hall was preferred to left-arm spinner Nicky Boje.

James Fulton was forced out of the New Zealand team with a strained back and was replaced by How.

The Black Caps left out off-spinner Jeetan Patel, who made his debut in Cape Town, and brought in medium pacer Kyle Mills.

REUTERS PG VV1549