Amla And Kallis Punish India With Fluent Centuries

Amla And Kallis Punish India With Fluent Centuries

Hashim Amla (left) and Jacques Kallis both scored unbeaten centuries as South Africa piled on the runs against India

©REUTERS/Mike Hutchings (SOUTH AFRICA - Tags: SPORT CRICKET) Picture Supplied by Action Images

India 136 (Morkel 5-20, Steyn 3-34) v
South Africa 366-2 (Amla 116no, Kallis 102no)
First Test, Centurion Park, day two
Scorecard

South Africa, powered by the unbeaten centuries of Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla, reached 366 for two in their first innings to put them in the driver's seat on day two of the opening Test against India at Centurion Park.

The day started off, as South Africa expected, with Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni adjudged leg before to Morne Morkel, who completed his five-wicket haul, with figures of five for 20 as India lasted just three balls before being dismissed for 136 - the score they had started the day on.

As the sun came out shining brightly, the Indian bowlers dug the ball short to be flayed to all corners of the park. South African skipper Graeme Smith (62) and Alviro Petersen (77) gave the Proteas a rousing start by putting together a 100-run partnership with crisp drives and strong pulls.

By tea, South African batsmen utilised the flattened pitch to lead by 100 runs. Though Sreesanth troubled Kallis with the short ball, Kallis capitalised on gentle dollies dished up by Suresh Raina and Sachin Tendulkar, being used for the first time in this match.

Amla pulled Ishant Sharma in front of the wicket to bring up his twelfth Test ton as he continued his dream run in 2010, while Kallis attacked the part-timers Tendulkar and Raina to script his 38th century in his 142nd game.

The lead was 230 runs for South Africa, when stumps were drawn and this will put the Indian batsmen under serious scrutiny in the latter part of the match. The second new ball was taken quickly by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, which did not stem the flow of runs.

Harbhajan Singh operated from around the wicket to the right-handed combination of Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla but could not break through as both batsman read the spin well and played late.

Ishant Sharma and Jaydev Unadkat, the young debutant, could not find the right length as they were taken for runs by the South African batsman. There was indifferent bounce on offer for the bowlers with the odd one keeping low but Harbhajan was the sole bowler who tasted success with two wickets to show for his effort.

Amla ended the day unbeaten on 116 while Kallis scored 102 in 144 balls having made his century in fewer balls than he had managed previously in his Test career.

South Africa also dominated the opening day, when they reduced India to 136 for nine having won the toss and bowled first.

© Cricket World 2010