Kallis hoists SA to big score

All-rounder hammers brilliant double century

Sri Lanka lost two wickets after taking a pounding from South African batsmen Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers on the second day of the third and final Test at Newlands on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka were 149 for two at the close in reply to South Africa’s 580 for four declared, a deficit of 431 runs. Kallis made a career-best 224 and De Villiers hit an unbeaten 160 before the declaration.

Sri Lankan captain Tillekeratne Dilshan hit a dashing 78 before he was caught at deep mid-on off leg-spinner Imran Tahir. Fellow opener Lahiru Thirimanne was earlier bowled by Morne Morkel for 23 as Sri Lanka set out on the massive task of playing themselves back into the match after Dilshan’s decision to send South Africa in backfired spectacularly.

South Africa scored at better than four runs an over and were able to declare in mid-afternoon in an attempt to push for a series-clinching victory.

Kallis was out in the last over before lunch when he was caught at mid-on off left-arm spinner Rangana Herath after batting for 435 minutes. He faced 325 balls and hit 31 fours and a six. His fourth wicket partnership with De Villiers was worth 192.

South Africa added 106 runs in 28.3 overs before lunch before the scoring rate rocketed after the interval as De Villiers and Jacques Rudolph (51 not out) piled on another 127 runs off 20.3 overs in 79 minutes.

De Villiers reached his century off 176 balls and then cut loose, adding another 60 off 29 balls. His innings included 19 fours and two sixes -- the latter hit off successive balls from Dilshan.

SCORE BOARD

SOUTH AFRICA (I Innings, O/n: 347/3):   
Smith b Prasad    16   
Petersen c Dilshan b Welegedara    109   
Amla lbw Prasad    16
Kallis c Mathews b Herath    224   
De Villiers (not out)    160   
Rudolph (not out)    51   
Extras (LB-1, W-1, NB-2)    4
Total (for 4 wkts decl, 139 overs)    580   
Fall of wickets: 1-25, 2-56, 3-261, 4-453.
Bowling: Welegedara 29-7-107-1, Perera 22-1-131-0, Prasad 30-2-154-2, Mathews 12-0-47-0, Herath 42-4-108-1, Dilshan 4-0-32-0.
SRI LANKA (I innings):
Thirimanne b Morkel    23
Dilshan c Smith b Tahir    78
Sangakkara (batting)    35
Jayawardene (batting)    7
Extras (B-4, lb-1, nb-1)    6
Total (for 2 wkts, 39 overs)    149
Fall of wickets: 1-70, 2-126.
Bowling: Dale Steyn 12-2-40-0, Vernon Philander 10-2-34-0, Morne Morkel 10-2-55-1, Imran Tahir 7-0-15-1.