Durban, Dec 28: Jacques Kallis showed his class for one last time with a gutsy unbeaten 78 in his farewell match as South Africa gained a slight upperhand in the series-deciding second cricket Test against India here today.
The 38-year-old Kallis seemed on course for his 45th Test century with an exhibition of determined batsmanship as the hosts reached 299 for five before heavens opened up at the Kingsmead.
Giving Kallis company was nightwatchman Dale Steyn (0 batting) with the home team needing another 36 runs to overhaul India’s first innings total of 334.
While the seasoned Kallis anchored the innings facing 224 balls, AB de Villiers (74), Alviro Peterson (62) and Graeme Smith (47) were the other notable contributors for the Proteas. Hashim Amla (3) and JP Duminy (28) were other wickets to fall on a day which was largely dominated by the home team.
If Smith-Peterson duo’s opening stand of 103 laid the foundation of the South African innings, it was De Villiers and Kallis, who added 127 runs for the fourth wicket to keep the momentum going.
De Villiers again played a free-flowing innings hitting nine boundaries in his 117 ball knock– one less than Kallis, who went about with a business like approach which was bereft of any emotion which one normally associates with occasions of such magnitude.
For India, left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja vindicated his captain’s selection with figures of four for 87 which included the scalps of Peterson, Smith and De Villiers.
Coming in at the fall of Amla’s wicket, Kallis was given a ‘Guard of Honour’ by the Indian cricketers with rival skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni shaking hands with the legendary all-rounder.
However Kallis was a picture of concentration during his knock. It took him 25 deliveries to hit the first of his 10 boundaries of a Jadeja delivery. It was a lofted hit over mid-off and he repeated the shot of the very next ball.
A sweep of Rohit Sharma, a couple of back to back cover drives off Zaheer Khan showed that Kallis is in a mood to leave his white flannels on a high.
Apart from Jadeja, pacer Mohammad Shami (1-62) was the only other wickettaker in the South African innings so far.
Zaheer Khan (0-46) and Ishant Sharma (0-76) toiled hard, but failed to provide any breakthroughs. Rohit Sharma (0-22) was deployed as well, skipper MS Dhoni perhaps missing a second spinner on this dry pitch.
Kallis and Duminy added 58 runs for the fifth wicket as Dhoni delayed taking the second new ball. The skipper persisted with Jadeja and even brought on Rohit, and the break-through finally came.
The morning session turned out to be a mixed one as South Africa scored 99 runs in that session but also lost three wickets.
The edge was taken by Murali Vijay in the slips as South Africa were suddenly reduced to 113 for three after being 103 for no loss. De Villiers and Kallis then took control of the situation as they slowly but surely built a partnership. The fourth wicket partnetship for 50 runs was completed in 16 overs. (PTI)
SCOREBOARD
India 1st innings: 334
South Africa 1st innings:
(Overnight 82 for no loss)
Graeme Smith c Dhawan b Jadeja 47
Alviro Petersen c Vijay b Jadeja 62
Hashim Amla b Shami 3
Jacques Kallis not out 78
AB de Villiers c Kohli b Jadeja 74
JP Duminy lbw b Jadeja 28
Dale Steyn not out 0
Extras: (LB-6, W-1) 7
Total: (For 5 wkts; 104.5 overs) 299
Fall of wickets 1-103, 2-113, 3-113,
4-240, 5-298.
Bowling: Zaheer Khan 16-2-46-0, Mohammed Shami 19-2-62-1, Ishant Sharma 23-7-76-0, Ravindra Jadeja 37-9-87-4, Rohit Sharma 9.5-1-22-0.
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