It was not flamboyant strokeplay, the batsmen recognising that with a bit of care and attention to detail a job could be done.
It was a significant day for 36-year-old Kallis, whose claims to be cricket's alltime finest allrounder are undeniable. This was his sixth 100 against New Zealand and he starts today on 107 off 236 balls with 15 fours. It is his 150th test for his country and he moved into second place on test centuries, 42, ahead of Australian Ricky Ponting and nine behind Sachin Tendulkar.
Earlier, tailender Trent Boult had reminded everyone of the value of arriving on time for the start of the day by clobbering South Africa's most impressive bowler, Vernon Philander, for 22 in the second over of the day. Three sixes sailed over the boundary between long on and mid wicket.
When Doug Bracewell got rid of Alviro Petersen and Hashim Amla in five balls to have the tourists 47 for two - or 12 for two overall - the game was on a knife edge.
Amla fell to a cracking one-handed catch by Martin Guptill at second slip, which necessitated a lengthy study by third umpire Richard Kettleborough.
But that was almost New Zealand's lot for the day. It was not until the seventh delivery with the second new ball, 69 overs later, that more success came, Smith chopping a ball from Bracewell on to his stumps after six hours' graft.
Smith and Kallis added 200 for the third wicket. In that time no chances were dropped, there were a few close shaves to both the edge of the bat and to hand - and a run-out opportunity on Kallis when he was on 78, Rob Nicol's throw from extra cover missing with the batsman having given up.
The approaches of Smith and Kallis differed.
Smith's was not a picture-perfect innings. He was hot and cold outside his off stump and timing was an issue. He edged left armer Boult fractionally short of Guptill at third slip on 91, and had a big play and miss at the same bowler on 95. But he dug deep and got a fine reward.
Kallis, after a first innings duck and a couple of sketchy strokes early, got better and more secure as the day wore on. Well before the end it had become business as usual for the rock from Cape Town.
The pitch was good. It was a day for batting and two of the best cashed in and wrenched the game their way.
Had Bracewell, the best of a hard-working bunch, removed Jacques Rudolph lbw late on - the Decision Review System won the batsman a reprieve - it would have been just reward. It was that sort of day for New Zealand.
Scoreboard
South Africa First innings 238
New Zealand First innings 273
South Africa Second innings
Alviro Peterson c Southee b Bracewell 25
Graeme Smith b Bracewell 115
Hashim Amla c Guptill b Bracewell 2
Jacques Kallis not out 107
Jacques Rudolph not out 13
Extras (2b,1lb,2nb,1w) 6
Total (for three wickets) 268
Fall: 5, 47, 247
Bowling: C Martin 17-4-57-0, T Boult 16-3-52-0, D Bracewell 18-2-53-3 (2nb), T Southee 17-3-58-0 (1w), D Vettori 19-2-34-0, R Nicol 1-0-9-0, K Williamson 1-0-2-0.
