Amla annihilates India
7 Feb 2010
A masterclass double hundred from Hashim Amla led South Africa to a formidable 558/6 declared on day two of the first Test in Nagpur.
Eleven hours fourteen minutes, 473 balls, on a wicket taking spin like a fourth day track and under an Indian sun beating down at 31 degrees Celsius. Amla was phenomenal and when Graeme Smith halted the Proteas’ innings he stood unbeaten on 253.
If South Africa win, and it is far too early to predict a result, Amla’s brilliant and defiant knock will be remembered as one of the great Test innings by a South African. It certainly wasn’t flamboyant, but it perfectly illustrated Amla’s value to the Proteas.
His co-torturer from day one, Jacques Kallis, yet again fell short of that elusive double ton (he was out for 173), but Amla was a picture of concentration, refusing to flay loosely at the good balls, which were plentiful, but never missing an opportunity to punish those which were wayward, and those became increasingly frequent as the concentration of the India bowlers waned.
India will lament dropping Amla twice when his score stood on 149. They may well have been facing a far less daunting total had they taken their chances. However, the Durbanite looked assured thereafter, even when he spent eight deliveries on 199, before stroking the ball through the covers to surpass a memorable milestone.
Amla shared a 340-run partnership with Kallis, then was the subdued partner in a 104-run stand with AB de Villiers, who looked set to put India to the sword before he was caught at short third man for 53.
JP Duminy’s list of weaknesses seems to be growing with every innings – spin being his current Kryptonite. He was trapped lbw by Harbhajan Singh for 9. Mark Boucher built steadily before showing intent to get the scoreboard ticking over. Amla too, changed gears, and when Boucher holed out, the responsibility of driving the Proteas to a target that could possibly see them bat just once in this Test, fell to Amla.
Eventually captain Graeme Smith declared, allowing Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel four overs at the India top order. They failed to make inroads, going at four and eight runs per over respectively, and will no doubt have an arduous task on a flat wicket on day three.
South Africa (1st innings) – 558-6 declared
Hashim Amla 253, Jacques Kallis 173, AB de Villiers 53, Zaheer Khan 3-96.
India (1st innings) – 25-0
For full scorecard click here
South Africa lead by 533 runs
161 Comments
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7 Feb 2010, 17:40 pm
havent read comments and a few beers ….but my view….Smith you bloody wally….should of batted on…for half hour tomorrow….damn man,Amls coiuld of got 300
Stuff it…i am the moer in man.
7 Feb 2010, 17:43 pm
148 Almighty Shaun: You have a problem with Alviro opening. I’m thinking back to when the Poms had our batters at sixes and sevens, & only Alviro stood firm. At that time he was playing out of position & still gave a wonderful account of himself.
7 Feb 2010, 17:57 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl:
“In fact, both should go on to match Tendukars tally and even surpass them should they play the same amount of time.”
That’s stretching it a bit Brig. Kallis probably has two more years left as an international. Tendulkar will end up with 50 test match centuries before he retires, most probably in about two years time also, I think. You seriously cannot suggest that Kallis will score about 20 100.s in the next two years to better the record that Tendulkar will set?
As far as GS breaking that record is concerned, there may be a distinct, very distinct probability but I would not bet my house on it. It took him seven years to score 20 centuries. He probably has another 7-8 years still in the tank. He will need to have a few golden years with the bat to score 30 centuries in the years to come.
I do believe that he will break the record set by Kallis as the batsman with the most centuries for SA though.
7 Feb 2010, 18:54 pm
wtf … Tendulkar started playing test cricket at 16 ..and still plays … 20 years…its impossible to get the same centuries or runs as him…but if you compare averages, Kallis is better off by FAR …. only Ponting has a better avg …but then again Kallis is a mean bowler aswell… probably the best cricket in the last 20 or so years… KING KALLIS…. also, the declaration was for the team to win …. not to draw. I’m sure Amla was told that Smith will declare with 4 overs left… It was up to Amla if he wanted to score 250 (bat slow) or 275+ (play 20/20 style) … Amla decided to go the 250 route …
7 Feb 2010, 19:29 pm
Ah nice one, Titans blowing those Cape Molslangetjies away.
7 Feb 2010, 19:44 pm
@Quota_Duminy_Quita_Prince: 154
There is something called the internet. I suggest you use it before making stupid remarks like, “but if you compare averages, Kallis is better off by FAR ….” Kallis has played 40 innings’ less than Tendulkar at the moment. Let’s compare them on the amount of innings’ played instead of the amount of years that they are playing test cricket. That would mean that we’ll have to go back and see what Tendulkar’s record was after 228 innings’. Some homework for you. I’ll be waiting.
Kallis
Tests: 135
Innings: 228
100′s: 33
Ave: 54.56
Tendulkar
Tests: 164
Innings: 268
100′s: 45
Ave: 55.37
7 Feb 2010, 19:51 pm
@nama1:
I agree that Kallis brings more to the table with his bowling, but that wasn’t what the conversation was about. The Brig said that Kallis would match or even surpasses Tendulkar’s record should they play the same amount of time and I just pointed out that it would not be happening. That was all.
7 Feb 2010, 21:15 pm
Hashy you bloody beauty!
Magnificent stuff. I feel a bit for Kallis, but hell, he got 173. That’s bloody good enough!
So Kallis has never got a 200? A player of his class SHOULD have got a few by now, but so what?
34 test match 100′s is a bloody good effort, and besides how many 200′s has Sachin got out of his 40 off 100′s? 1 is the answer…
It’s not such a big deal
7 Feb 2010, 21:18 pm
151 Grant
Whatever man. It was a good declaration. We had plenty of runs and should well have had a crack at them before stumps.
Great captaincy. Hashy getting 300… would have been fantastic but also a waste of time if we want to try to get a result. Was the correct call. END OF
8 Feb 2010, 02:50 am
@The Almighty Shaun:
Great batting by Amla and JK, good declaration not making the same mistake as against England when Smit waited too long letting JP try and find some form to no avail.
All about the win and not the draw.
8 Feb 2010, 02:54 am
As for TheAlmightyContradiction, how about you spell out in clear concise points on this forum, your delusional Illuminati’esqe defamation of Mickey Arthur… then with your real name in tow we’ll see what he has to say about them. I’ll forward them on to him for you.
Put your pocket money where your mouth is TheUltimateContradiction, here’s your chance!
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