Kallis and Amla pile on the runs
July 22, 2012 13:15:10 UK
Jacques Kallis was the third South African to reach three figures at The Oval.Jacques Kallis reached three figures and Hashim Amla completed a double century as South Africa piled on the runs on the fourth morning of the first Test with England.
The Proteas started day four on 403-2 and made it through to 514-2 lunch without losing a wicket, with Amla, 2.00 to be next man dismissed, soon making the 17 runs he needed to reach 200 for the second time in his Test career.
By the interval the classy right-hander was within two of his highest-ever Test score, having made a chanceless 251 not out from 447 deliveries, hitting 29 boundaries.
Kallis, 1.80 to be the next man out, passed three figures for the 43rd time in his Test career, a mark which is only surpassed by Sachin Tendulkar on 51.
The veteran right-hander was unbeaten on 125 at lunch, having struck 16 fours from 257 balls faced.
South Africa are now 1.001 to win the first Test at The Oval, with the draw 1.001, while England have slipped to 1.001.
Earlier, England bowling coach David Saker had admitted after the close of play on day three that his attack had struggled to extract much life from the pitch at The Oval.
He said: "I wouldn't have said it was bad bowling. We just couldn't get the ball to move laterally, which is one of our big strengths.
"They did pretty much everything we asked them to do, but they just couldn't get that ball to move."
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