Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers put on an unbroken stand of 164 to guide South Africa to 244-2 at stumps on the fourth day of the second Test against Australia.
Kallis prospered after being dropped first ball to reach 84 and De Villiers scored 68 at Kingsmead, with the hosts requiring 302 more runs for an improbable victory to square the three-match series at 1-1.
The Proteas were set 546 to win after Australia added 39 runs for the loss of two wickets before declaring early Monday on 331-5.
Kallis and De Villiers occupied the crease for 225 minutes, soaking up a lot of pressure as the Australians strove for a breakthrough. There was hardly anything loose from the visitors' attack, but once the ball got older there was little sign of the venom from their pacemen which skittled South Africa for 138 in its first innings.
Kallis has been criticized in the past for batting too slowly, but even his critics will have appreciated his commitment at the crease on Monday. The all-rounder has a bruised right hand and some stitches in his chin from a blow he took in the first innings.
With his excellent technique, Kallis can be difficult to remove. He struck 11 fours in 161 balls, while De Villiers hit seven boundaries in 166 balls in a similarly stout effort.
Australia turned to spin in the last few overs of the day with fielders crowded around the bat, but the South African pair survived despite a few troubling deliveries from left-arm wrist spinner Simon Katich.
A key moment will be when Australia takes the second new ball early Tuesday. For South Africa, having two quality batsmen at the crease to take the shine off the new ball will be important.
Australian fast bowler Peter Siddle, who has taken the only two wickets to fall, is looking forward to the challenge.
"The wicket has flattened out pretty much, there's not a lot of sideways movement out there," Siddle said. "I hope we can get a couple of quick wickets with the new ball."
Hashim Amla, pressed into the role of opener because of injury to captain Graeme Smith, said it would not be easy on Tuesday.
"The wicket has played up a little," Amla said. "It's the kind of wicket where you have to be committed (to your strokes), whether you are on the front foot or back foot.
"It is going to be an intense opening session. The new ball is available straight away and it is going to be a crucial period of the final day. If Jacques and AB can get us through the new ball safely and, if we lose no more than one wicket before lunch, then we will have a good chance of batting out the day. We will have to take it hour by hour and session by session and plan our strategy as we go along."
In the middle session, South Africa lost openers Neil McKenzie on 31 and Amla on 43.
Both openers were dismissed for ducks in the first innings, but Amla in particular looked a lot more assured second time around, driving seamer Andrew McDonald for three fours in the last over before lunch.
South Africa could have been in more trouble as Kallis was dropped first ball at first slip by Marcus North off Siddle. Kallis overtook Graeme Pollock as South Africa's most prolific scorer in Tests against Australia. He has now scored 1,467 runs and nears a potential fourth Test century against that opponent.
Amla had to face some intimidating bowling from Siddle, who worked him out superbly. The seamer peppered Amla with short deliveries for a couple of overs, once striking him on the chest. Then, when he pitched one up, Amla lunged into the drive only to offer a catch to Ricky Ponting in the slips. Amla hit eight fours in two hours.
The Australians lost the wickets of Phillip Hughes (160) and Marcus North (0) in the 7.4 overs they batted Monday. Ponting called a halt with the score on 331-5, with South Africa unlikely to have captain and opener Graeme Smith fit to bat.
Hughes added 24 runs off 22 balls to his overnight tally before he fell to Makhaya Ntini. On Sunday, Hughes became the youngest player in history to score two centuries in the same Test.
Kallis prospered after being dropped first ball to reach 84 and De Villiers scored 68 at Kingsmead, with the hosts requiring 302 more runs for an improbable victory to square the three-match series at 1-1.
The Proteas were set 546 to win after Australia added 39 runs for the loss of two wickets before declaring early Monday on 331-5.
Kallis and De Villiers occupied the crease for 225 minutes, soaking up a lot of pressure as the Australians strove for a breakthrough. There was hardly anything loose from the visitors' attack, but once the ball got older there was little sign of the venom from their pacemen which skittled South Africa for 138 in its first innings.
Kallis has been criticized in the past for batting too slowly, but even his critics will have appreciated his commitment at the crease on Monday. The all-rounder has a bruised right hand and some stitches in his chin from a blow he took in the first innings.
With his excellent technique, Kallis can be difficult to remove. He struck 11 fours in 161 balls, while De Villiers hit seven boundaries in 166 balls in a similarly stout effort.
Australia turned to spin in the last few overs of the day with fielders crowded around the bat, but the South African pair survived despite a few troubling deliveries from left-arm wrist spinner Simon Katich.
A key moment will be when Australia takes the second new ball early Tuesday. For South Africa, having two quality batsmen at the crease to take the shine off the new ball will be important.
Australian fast bowler Peter Siddle, who has taken the only two wickets to fall, is looking forward to the challenge.
"The wicket has flattened out pretty much, there's not a lot of sideways movement out there," Siddle said. "I hope we can get a couple of quick wickets with the new ball."
Hashim Amla, pressed into the role of opener because of injury to captain Graeme Smith, said it would not be easy on Tuesday.
"The wicket has played up a little," Amla said. "It's the kind of wicket where you have to be committed (to your strokes), whether you are on the front foot or back foot.
"It is going to be an intense opening session. The new ball is available straight away and it is going to be a crucial period of the final day. If Jacques and AB can get us through the new ball safely and, if we lose no more than one wicket before lunch, then we will have a good chance of batting out the day. We will have to take it hour by hour and session by session and plan our strategy as we go along."
In the middle session, South Africa lost openers Neil McKenzie on 31 and Amla on 43.
Both openers were dismissed for ducks in the first innings, but Amla in particular looked a lot more assured second time around, driving seamer Andrew McDonald for three fours in the last over before lunch.
South Africa could have been in more trouble as Kallis was dropped first ball at first slip by Marcus North off Siddle. Kallis overtook Graeme Pollock as South Africa's most prolific scorer in Tests against Australia. He has now scored 1,467 runs and nears a potential fourth Test century against that opponent.
Amla had to face some intimidating bowling from Siddle, who worked him out superbly. The seamer peppered Amla with short deliveries for a couple of overs, once striking him on the chest. Then, when he pitched one up, Amla lunged into the drive only to offer a catch to Ricky Ponting in the slips. Amla hit eight fours in two hours.
The Australians lost the wickets of Phillip Hughes (160) and Marcus North (0) in the 7.4 overs they batted Monday. Ponting called a halt with the score on 331-5, with South Africa unlikely to have captain and opener Graeme Smith fit to bat.
Hughes added 24 runs off 22 balls to his overnight tally before he fell to Makhaya Ntini. On Sunday, Hughes became the youngest player in history to score two centuries in the same Test.
AP
Tuesday, March 10, 2009 11:36:18 AM
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