Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis both made unbeaten centuries yesterday to power South Africa to 366-2 and a dominant 230-run lead over India on day two of the first test at Centurion.
Amla was 116 not out and Kallis 102 not out at stumps, putting pressure on test cricket’s top-ranked team after India had been bowled out for 136 in the first over of the day.
Kallis reached his 38th test hundred off 130 balls – the fastest in his career – with nine fours and three sixes.
Amla’s 12th test ton and fifth vs. India continued a stunning run in which the right-hander has scored 253 not out, 114, 123 not out and now 116 not out in his last four innings against the Indians.
Harbhajan Singh (2-107) was the only India bowler to have any success on day two when he removed openers Graeme Smith and Alviro Petersen – but only after both had made half-centuries and had given South Africa a solid start with a century opening stand.
Earlier, Proteas fast bowler Morne Morkel collected a career-best 5-20 when he ended India’s innings with the third ball of the second day’s play, trapping Mahendra Singh Dhoni lbw for 33 as India failed to add to its overnight total for its third-lowest test score in South Africa.
“It was a great day for us,” Smith said. “We got the wicket early on that set the tone and Jakes (Kallis) and Hash (Amla) finished superbly. But there’s still a lot of cricket to be played.”
Ranked No. 2 behind India, South Africa’s top order put together consecutive partnerships of 111, 55 and then the unbeaten 200-run stand between Amla and Kallis – which came off 281 balls – to move into a winning position in the three-match series opener.
Harbhajan removed Smith three balls before lunch for 62, when he edged to wicketkeeper Dhoni, and then Petersen for 77 when he was caught by close fielder Gautam Gambhir midway through the second session.
But without injured fast bowling spearhead Zaheer Khan, India’s pace trio of Shanthakumaran Sreesanth (0-71), Ishant Sharma (0-68) and 19-year-old debutant Jaidev Unadkat (0-60) toiled, failing to extract the troubling pace and bounce that Morkel and Dale Steyn produced to rip through India’s batting lineup on Thursday.
As the pitch eased, South Africa made 111 for the loss of Smith in the first session, added another 125 for one wicket in 28 overs in the second and 130 for no loss in the final session, as India again struggled in South Africa.
India has won just won of its 12 tests in South Africa since 1992, and has lost all four of its previous series in the country.
Kallis joined Amla with the score on 166-1, and raced to 42 off 53 balls by tea, launching two leg-side sixes off part-time spinner Suresh Raina. Amla moved serenely passed 50 and then became just the second South African – after Kallis – to score 1,000 runs against India.
Kallis was the first to 100, mixing cover drives with brutal pull shots. He pushed a Sreesanth delivery through the covers for two five overs before the end of play for a fourth hundred against India as the second new ball made little impact on the pair’s progress.
Amla then pulled a short delivery from Ishant Sharma to midwicket five balls later to reach his milestone, and take South Africa past 350.