Home supporters were hoping for a partnership of the magnitude of the one between Amla and De Villiers, but it ended on 69 when David drove the innocuous-looking off-spin of Duminy straight to short cover.
Ponting holed out to De Villiers at deep backward square leg, while Marsh was superbly caught by Kallis at extra cover off JP Duminy's occasional off-spin.
That was despite Bell (23) having played a loose cover-drive to be caught off the leg-spin of Smith, and Eoin Morgan (8) also hitting a catch into the infield off Smith.