Amla And Petersen Hit Centuries Before India Hit Back

Amla And Petersen Hit Centuries Before India Hit Back

Alviro Petersen (left) and Hashim Amla both scored centuries on day one in Kolkata.

©REUTERS/Arko Datta (INDIA - Tags: SPORT CRICKET) Picture Supplied by Action Images

South Africa 266-9 (Amla 114, Petersen 100) v India
Second Test, day one, Kolkata

Hashim Amla and debutant Alviro Petersen hit centuries for South Africa before India hit back to reduce them to 266 for nine at stumps on the opening day of the second and final Test in Kolkata.

After the tourists won the toss and chose to bat, they quickly lost Graeme Smith, bowled by Zaheer Khan for four but Petersen, in the side after Mark Boucher pulled out with a back injury, and Amla, who scored an unbeaten 253 in the opening Test, put on 209 for the second wicket.

Right-hander Petersen raced to his half-century in 55 balls before slowing as he approached his centutry, which he eventually reached in 160 deliveries with 16 fours, but was immediately dismissed when he was caught by wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni off of Khan, and Amla would also fall to the same combination having stroked 114 in 166 balls.

From 218 to one, South Africa then lost eight wickets for 43 runs as India bowled themselves back inton contention with the Proteas losing seven wickets for 38 runs after tea.

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh led the charge for India, first having Jacques Kallis (10) caught by the fit-again VVS Laxman, and then having both Ashwell Prince (1) and JP Duminy (0) trapped in front in consecutive deliveries.

The run out of stand-in wicket-keeper AB de Villiers for five exposed the tail and leg-spinner Amit Mishra had Dale Steyn trapped in front for five and pacer Ishant Sharma had Paul Harris caught behind for one to leave Wayne Parnell (2) and Morne Morkel (3) hanging on at the end of the day.

South Africa won the first Test by an innings and six runs and will take India's place at the top of the ICC Test rankings if they avoid defeat in this game.

© Cricket World 2010

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