Amla, Smith and Kallis crush England

By Andrew Miller

Hashim Amla and Graeme Smith produced a formidable second-wicket stand of 259, and Jacques Kallis closed in on his first hundred in England for 14 years, as South Africa cemented their advantage with a relentless day's batting in the first Test at The Oval.

By the close of arguably the most one-sided day's batting since England posted 517 for 1 at Brisbane in November 2010, Amla was still in situ on 183 not out, a monument of an innings spanning 369 balls and 22 fours. His third-wicket stand with Kallis (82 not out) was worth 143, as South Africa reached 403 for 2, a lead of 18 with much more to come.

Smith, who marked his 100th Test with his 25th hundred, has never yet lost a match in which he has reached three figures. In the morning session he posted his seventh century against England, his fifth in three tours of the country, and his third in as many matches against England, after back-to-back hundreds in South Africa in 2009-10.

England were scarcely able to force a glimmer of an opportunity. After resuming on 37 overnight, Smith had been becalmed on 48 going into the morning drinks break as Graeme Swann found some turn from a good length. But upon  the resumption, he belted seven fours in five overs to change the tempo of the innings, and reached his hundred  in the final over of the session.

With little help from the overhead conditions, the second new ball came and went without fanfare, and it was something of a surprise when Smith's vigil was ended by the first ball of a new spell from Tim Bresnan - who found a way into the stumps via an inside-edge and several deflections.

Smith was gone for 131 from 273 balls, a brilliant performance. But his departure hardly opened up an end as far as England's bowlers were concerned. Kallis, whose career average in England was an improbably low 30, emerged determined to correct the one remaining anomaly in his CV.

Amla, meanwhile, was a measured combination of grace and attrition, as he maintained an unwavering tempo.  He brought up his fifty from 110 balls, his hundred from 199, and his 150, midway through the evening session, from 294.

He is well placed to record his second Test double-century when play resumes on Sunday, as South Africa seek to press home their advantage with six sessions of the game remaining.
 
"We just couldn't get the ball to move laterally, when it was new or old, which has been one of our big strengths," said David Saker, England's bowling coach. "I'm pretty proud of the way they kept going. They've had enough cricket up to their necks."

Date: 21/07/2012 19:02:20 by AMiller
In: Today | England |