Kallis Century Gives South Africa Hope in Cape Town
Jacques Kallis’s unbeaten 33rd Test century rescued South Africa’s first innings, after they had been reduced to 127/5, in the third Test in Cape Town.
South Africa 279/6 (Kallis 108* Boucher 51, Anderson 2/62)
The triumvirate of James Anderson, Graeme Swann and Graham Onions removed five of the Proteas premier strokemakers inside 42 overs, leaving only Kallis to prevent the hosts falling behind the eight ball from the off.
East London-born wicketkeeper Mark Boucher joined hometown hero Kallis in an 89-run partnership however which took the gloss of England’s spotless start to the match.
Anderson started the South African rot when he produced the ideal back-of-a-length ball to the out-of-form Ashwell Prince and induced him to nick off to Matt Prior for a duck.
Onions should have provided the second just three balls later but Swann rather fluffed his lines when he dropped a regulation nick from Graeme Smith, with Swann replacing regular second slip Paul Collingwood due to the latter’s fractured finger.
England were not to be denied a succession of early breakthroughs despite that drop as Onions removed Hashim Amla leg before for 14 to leave South Africa 51/2 at lunch.
After the break it took just seven balls for Anderson to strike again as Smith’s dismissal mirrored that of Prince early in the day.
AB de Villiers survived an appeal for caught behind off Swann on his way to 36 but Swann had his man when de Villiers chipped tamely to Strauss at short mid-wicket.
And it was two in two balls for the World number-three ranked bowler when Swann induced JP Duminy to nick his very first ball to Prior. Duminy’s last three balls in Tests have seen the left-hander dismissed.
The combative Boucher’s arrival steadied the Proteas ship and knocked Swann off his length as he struck three consecutive fours in one over on his way to his own fifty.
But Stuart Broad struck a seemingly pivotal blow when he removed Boucher leg before to welcome the newly-promoted number eight Dale Steyn to the crease.
Neither the extra responsibility nor the severity of his predicament fazed Steyn as he made a composed 26 and finished not out alongside centurion Kallis.
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