The BLACKCAPS batsmen struggled to 187 for eight at the close of the opening day of the second cricket test against South Africa at Centurion.
The BLACKCAPS won the toss and made steady progress in the first session, with Craig Cumming and Lou Vincent taking them to 84 for one at lunch, but South Africa struck back after the resumption and when play was halted three overs into the final session by bad light and a thunderstorm they were struggling.
Dale Steyn, the BLACKCAPS' nemesis in the first test, came back on straight after lunch and Vincent (33) was late on a pull against his fourth delivery and lobbed a catch to mid-on.
In the midst of a top-class spell of fiery fast bowling, Steyn struck Cumming in the face with a fearsome bouncer, forcing him to retire hurt on 48, and trapped Scott Styris leg-before for three.
Stephen Fleming scored a timely 43 before cutting Jacques Kallis straight to backward point four overs prior to tea.
The former captain said after stumps that the stroke was played on the basis that the BLACKCAPS batsmen needed to be more positive.
"I don't think we've been positive enough with the bat. There are opportunities to score with the fields that Graeme Smith has set and we need to try and put some pressure back on them.
"But the execution wasn't there and we've succumbed again with some easy outs on another disappointing day," Fleming said.
Ross Taylor (17) also fell to a cut shot, off Andre Nel, and the aggressive fast bowler had Brendon McCullum (13) caught in the slips off the last ball before tea.
Steyn returned again after the break and removed Mark Gillespie and Iain O'Brien for ducks off successive deliveries, but then contrived to send the hat-trick ball to Chris Martin way down the leg side.
Play was unable to continue after that destructive over.
Opener Cumming is unlikely to bat again having suffered multiple fractures to his cheekbone.
He was being examined overnight by a facial surgeon and BLACKCAPS manager Lindsay Crocker said he didn't think there was any chance of the 32-year-old participating again in the test.
"He's likely to stay overnight in hospital and it looks like his one eye is going to close up, so I would be very surprised if he were to bat again in this match."
Fleming said a total of 300 would keep the BLACKCAPS in the game on another pitch featuring inconsistent bounce.
"I was surprised by how much inconsistent bounce there was and the pitch is certainly not totally true. The cracks were turning up at the corners by the end of the day and if this match goes the distance then it will be pretty tough to play on by the fifth day."
South African assistant coach Vincent Barnes revealed that captain Smith did not feel his team had been up to requirements in the first session, which perhaps explains their fiery comeback after lunch.
"He urged the players to hit their straps. We could have had them 70 for three, so Graeme just told them to focus more," Barnes said.
The BLACKCAPS would have relished such focus after a lack of discipline let them down again at the crease.
"We didn't get the job done and there will be different reasons or excuses for that, but basically none of the batsmen are in touch and none of us have done the job," Fleming admitted.
The BLACKCAPS sprung something of a surprise at the toss, naming Vincent rather than Kyle Mills to replace the injured Jacob Oram, while Gillespie made his test debut in place of Shane Bond.
