CAPE TOWN, (Reuters) – Jacques Kallis completed his second test double century and AB de Villiers scored an unbeaten 160 to put South Africa in control of the third and deciding test against Sri Lanka yesterday.
Their combined efforts enabled South Africa, seeking their first series win at home in three seasons, to declare 40 minutes before tea on the second day on 580 for four.
At the close, Sri Lanka were 149 for two after captain Tillakaratne Dilshan had scored a quickfire 78. Sri Lanka’s leading batsmen Kumar Sangakkara (35 not out) and Mahela Jayawardene (seven not out) were still at the crease.
Kallis, one of only four players to amass more than 12,000 test runs, had not exceeded 200 runs in an innings until his 201 not out against India at Centurion in December, 2010.
The 36-year-old, who resumed on 159, needed just 65 deliveries on Wednesday to reach his second double century, in 394 minutes and 280 balls, with 29 fours and a six.
“Both my double centuries have been special but especially getting one at Newlands, and with the series at 1-1, we needed a big performance and it was nice to be the one to do it,” Kallis told reporters after silencing the critics who were ready to write him off following his first pair in test cricket in Durban last week.
“After Durban, it was nice to be able to get in and cash in on a good pitch. It was great to see that after just one bad game, people were saying my eyes had gone, I was too old … I mean come on.”
Kallis fell on the stroke of lunch when an attempted lofted drive went off the toe of the bat to Angelo Mathews, who took a tumbling catch at deep mid-on to give persevering left-arm spinner Rangana Herath his only wicket.
Kallis enjoyed some good fortune as two outside edges, on 171 and 183, went through the hands of Jayawardene in the slips, off the bowling of Dhammika Prasad and Mathews respectively.
De Villiers helped himself to 160 not out off just 205 balls, with 19 fours and two sixes.
Jacques Rudolph accompanied De Villiers until the declaration, scoring 51 not out as he helped to add an unbeaten 127 for the fifth wicket off just 123 balls. De Villiers’ innings took only 205 balls and included 19 fours and two sixes.
“We’re not happy with our bowling, we missed Dilhara Fernando, who gives us more pace and bounce. It was disappointing that we didn’t keep the pressure on enough, right through the day,” said Sri Lanka coach Geoff Marsh.
“We knew that South Africa… are a better side than what they showed in the last test. So we have to raise the bar too. It’s how you recover from the bad days that determines how good a side you are.
“We have very good players with great averages and we expect to bat well.”
When Sri Lanka batted, Dilshan was quickly into his stride. He blasted 12 fours in his run-a-ball innings, before falling to leg-spinner Imran Tahir.
Dilshan lofted a drive into the outfield but the delivery was a googly that took the inside half of the bat, allowing Graeme Smith to run from deep mid-on and take a superb diving catch.
Lahiru Thirimanne had earlier been bowled through the gate, his attempted drive getting nowhere near a Morne Morkel thunderbolt, for 23.
- AB de Villiers
