Kallis, Amla punish Indian bowlers
CRICKET: NAGPUR, India, Feb 6, 2010: Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla
slammed unbeaten centuries to help South Africa seize the momentum on
the opening day of the first Test against India on Saturday.
Kallis scored 159 and Amla made 115 as the tourists recovered from a
shaky 6-2 to reach 291-2 at close after electing to bat at the Vidarbha
Cricket Association stadium in Nagpur.
The duo shared 285 runs for the unbroken third wicket to post South
Africa's highest partnership against India for any wicket.
Kallis has so far hit 13 fours and two sixes in his 290-ball knock
while Amla also opened up to play some fine shots after a sedate start
to his 225-ball innings.
Amla reached his eighth Test century in style, hitting part-time
spinner Virender Sehwag for a four to the square-leg boundary. Kallis
completed his 34th Test ton to join India's Sunil Gavaskar and West
Indian Brian Lara in third place on the all-time list of top century
getters.
India's Sachin Tendulkar heads the list with 45 centuries, followed
by Australian skipper Ricky Ponting on 39.
India's bowlers laboured without luck after tasting success in the
morning session when pace spearhead Zaheer Khan (2-30) sent back openers
Ashwell Prince and Graeme Smith in a fiery opening spell.
Prince was out for a duck, caught behind by Mahendra Singh Dhoni in
the fifth over when he failed to fend off a bouncer, although TV replays
suggested the ball brushed past his arm guard rather than the gloves.
The pacer struck again in his next over to remove Smith (six) with a
ball that moved through the gap between bat and pad, cleaning up the
stumps in spectacular fashion.
Kallis and Amla then steadied the innings, putting on 103 runs off 33
overs in the post-lunch session and another 98 in the final session.
Kallis looked confident against the spinners, slog-sweeping Harbhajan
Singh twice for a huge six and a four in an over to race to his 53rd
Test half-century off 75 balls.
Injury-hit India, missing the experienced trio of Rahul Dravid,
Venkatsai Laxman and Yuvraj Singh, awarded Test caps to Subramaniam
Badrinath and Wriddhiman Saha.
Saha came in only because Rohit Sharma, called in as cover for Laxman,
hurt his left ankle during warm-up before the toss.
The second and final Test of the series between the world's top two
teams begins in Kolkata on February 14.
South Africa can snatch back the number one Test ranking from India
if they win the series while the hosts need just a draw to remain on
top.
SOUTH AFRICA
1ST INNINGS
G. Smith b Zaheer 06
A. Prince c Dhoni b Zaheer 00
H. Amla not out 115
J. Kallis not out 159
Extras (b4, lb2, nb5) 11
Total (for two wickets in 91 overs) 291
Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Prince), 2-6 (Smith).
Bowling: Zaheer 20-5-67-2 (nb3), Sharma 17-2-44-0, Harbhajan 21-0-81-0,
Mishra 26-2-71-0 (nb2), Sehwag 7-1-22-0.
AFP
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