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Kallis, Amla tons light up Centurion

Last updated on: December 17, 2010 22:37 IST

- Scorecard

Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla hit unbeaten centuries to put South Africa in command against India on day two of the first Test at SuperSport Park, in Centurion, on Friday.

At stumps, South Africa were 366 for two in 87 overs, a first innings lead of 230 runs.

Kallis was the aggressive of the two, scoring 102 from 144 balls, including nine boundaries and three sixes. It was his 38th Test century overall and his third in a row following the two he scored in the last series against Pakistan in UAE.

Amla also continued his good run against India as he scored 116 from 180 balls, including nine fours and a six. The two batsmen were rarely troubled as they put on 200 runs in 46.5 overs for the third wicket to steer South Africa towards a huge total.

Harbhajan Singh was the only wicket-taker for India, but he went for a lot of runs in claiming two for 107 in 25 overs. The inexperienced pace attack came under a lot of fire and rarely troubled the South African batsmen.

Grame Smith gave his team a good start, scoring 62 from 87 balls, adding 111 runs in 26.3 overs for the opening wicket with Petersen, who scored 77, laced with nine boundaries and a six in 114 balls.

Earlier, pacer Morne Morkel took five wickets as India were dismissed for a paltry 136 in 38.4 overs in their first innings.

The lanky Morkel used his height to good advantage, extracting a lot of bounce on a lively Centurion pitch to register career-best figures of five for 20 in 12.4 overs. Speedster Dale Steyn was equally lethal, claiming three for 34 in ten overs, while Jacques Kallis took one for 20.

Morne MorkelSachin Tendulkar was the only Indian batsman to get some measure of the track as he stroked 36 from 34 balls, inclusive of eight fours, before he was trapped plumb leg before wicket by a quick delivery from Steyn.

Morning session: (111 runs, 27.3 runs, 2 wickets)

Morkel took no time to claim the final Indian wicket. He trapped Mahendra Singh Dhoni leg before for 33 with a full delivery that came in sharply.

Resuming on 136 for nine, India lasted just three deliveries before they were bundled out in 38.4 overs.

(South Africa 1st innings)

Even the Indian seamers -- S Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma -- got considerable movement from the pitch, but they were not able to make an impression like the South African pacers.

Smith hit South Africa's first boundary, clipping a full delivery from Sreesanth through the square leg in the first over.

Ishant was the more impressive of the two as he made the batsman play a lot more and bowled at a good pace, while Sreesanth struggled with his line and length.

19-year-old debutant Unadkat came on to bowl in the seventh over, replacing Sreesanth. He was hit for a four in his first over, his full delivery being driven down the ground by Smith.

The left-armer bowled in the high 120s and did not pose too much of a threat. Smith was quick to pull Unadkat through midwicket when he dropped short, while in the next over he cracked a full delivery from Ishant through the covers for the same result.

Petersen was also quick to punish the youngster as he hit him for a couple of boundaries through the off-side in his fourth over.

The pitch looked completely different than was witnessed during India's innings. South Africa's pacers bowled with good pace and extracted a lot of bounce, but India's pacers were completely flat and rarely troubled the batsmen.

South Africa put up 64 for no loss in 18 overs before spin was introduced in the form of Harbhajan Singh. The off-spinner bowled a poor opening over, dropping it short a couple of times, and was promptly despatched by Smith for a couple of fours through point.

Petersen also looked to attack Harbhajan and slog swept him for a six over midwicket in his next over.

Harbhajan continued to disappoint as he kept bowling wide and short to Smith. The left-hander cut him through point for his tenth four to bring up his fifty from 72 balls and in the same over charged down the wicket and drove a full delivery through midwicket for another boundary.

It was a horrible start by India's most experienced bowler as he was hit for 27 runs in three overs, as the hosts raced past the hundred mark in the 24th over.

But the off-spinner provided India some relief when he dismissed Smith in the final over of the session. Smith tried to play the cut shot again but the extra bounce beat him, taking the outside edge to wicketkeeper Dhoni.

Smith had given South Africa a solid start as he stroked 62 from 87 balls, including 11 fours. He added 111 runs for the opening wicket with Petersen, who was unbeaten on 45 from 74 balls (5 fours and a six).

Post-lunch session: (28 overs, 125 runs, 1 wicket)

South Africa continued to dominate after the lunch break as the visitors failed to stem the flow of runs despite claiming a wicket.

Petersen started the second session in style, cutting a short delivery from Ishant through point for a four. The right-hander brought up his half-century from 81 balls with a single on the leg-side off Harbhajan, in the 29th over.

Harbhajan, meanwhile, was getting plenty of bounce while also turning a few but failed to get it right all the time. He was unlucky not to dismiss Hashim Amla (10), the inside edge being dropped by wicketkeeper Dhoni. And Amla rubbed more salt on Harbhajan's wounds when he carted the next ball over square leg for a huge six.

Harbhajan then gave India a huge lift by claiming the wicket of Petersen. The right-hander, who had scored 77 from 114 balls, was caught at short leg off an inside edge as the spinner got one to turn sharply.

Sreesanth came back strongly after an ordinary spell with the new ball. He bowled with good pace and used the short ball to good effect, and on one occasion even hit Kallis on the helmet with a well-directed bouncer.

Part-timer Suresh Raina replaced Harbhajan but even he went for runs. A short delivery was promptly despatched over midwicket by Kallis for a six, in the 47th over.

Kallis repeated the dose again in Raina's next over -- for another six -- to end India's experiment with the part-timer after just two overs. The veteran batsman decided to impose himself and hit a boundary each off Unadkat and Tendulkar in successive overs to race to 42 from 47 balls.

Amla completed his fifty off 78 balls from the final delivery of the session with a single through cover off Tendulkar, while Kallis stroked his way to 42 from 53 balls, hitting five fours and two sixes, as the two batsmen added 70 runs in 89 balls.

At tea on Day 2, South Africa were 236 for two in 55 overs, extending their lead to 100 runs.

India were again outplayed in the session. The absence of Zaheer Khan was felt as the young seamers failed to create any impression, as Harbhajan was too expensive while claiming two for 73 in 14 overs.

Post-tea session: (130 runs, 32 runs)

Amla got the first boundary of the session when he drove a full delivery from Unadkat through the covers to move to 60.

Kallis brought up his half-century off 72 balls with a single on the leg-side off Harbhajan, in the 65th over.

The singles were coming easily as the two batsmen looked to rotate the strike when the boundaries dried up. Kallis then punished Sreesanth as the pacer gifted him two short wide deliveries that were sent crashing for boundaries through the off-side.

The pacers were totally ineffective as they sprayed the ball around and South African batsmen had no trouble in keeping the scoreboard ticking.

Kallis guided a full delivery from Ishant down the leg side for a boundary and then guided another one through thirdman for another four to take the total past 300 in the 74th over.

With the pacers not making any impression, Dhoni brought on Tendulkar to bowl his leg-spinners but his lack of practice meant he found it difficult to get into any sort of rhythm.

India also didn't help their cause by bowling loose deliveries quite regularly. Tendulkar gifted Kallis a full toss which he promptly despatched over the long-on region for his third six and moved to 96, in the 79th over.

India, as expected, took the second ball straight away after 80 overs hoping the pacers would strike a few blows before close.

But still there was no change in proceedings. Ishant dropped short and Amla slammed it through the covers to reach 97, while Kallis was on 98 at the other end.

When Kallis walked out to the middle, Amla was batting on 23 but the veteran overtook him and was the first to reach the three-figure mark.

Kallis punched Sreesanth through the covers for two runs to bring up his 38th Test century from 130 balls.

In the very next over, Amla completed his hundred and in some style. He pulled a short delivery from Ishant through midwicket for a four to get his 12th Test century, from 165 balls.

Unadkat finally managed to find the edge of the bat but to India's misfortune it went in the gap between the slips and gully for a four. Amla hit the next delivery with some authority, pulling a short ball for another four.

At stumps on day two, South Africa were 366 for two in 87 overs, for a lead of 230 runs.

If the South African bowlers dominated the rain-hit first day, it was the turn of their batsmen to shine on day two. Kallis showed his class, stroking his way to 102 from 144 balls, hitting nine fours and three sixes.

Amla continued his good run of scores against India, scoring 116, inclusive of nine fours and a six in 180 deliveries. The two batsmen put their team firmly in the driver's seat as they added 200 runs in 46.5 overs for the third wicket.

India's bowling display was totally lacklustre. Harbhajan was the only wicket-taker but went for 107 runs in 25 overs. The pacers were totally pathetic, Sreesanth (19-1-71-0), Ishant (18-2-68-0) and Unadkat (16-2-60-0) looking totally clueless.