Amla tormented the Somerset attack with some fine strokeplay

South Africa overcame the worst possible start to rack up two centuries and hit 455-3 on day one of the opening tour match against Somerset at Taunton.

Neil McKenzie was trapped lbw by the first ball of the match from acting Somerset skipper Andrew Caddick.

But Hashim Amla shared 146 in 30 overs with Jean-Paul Duminy, who made 64.

Amla struck 22 fours and a six in his 172, sharing 216 in 43 overs with Jacques Kallis (160), who retired hurt after a Caddick ball struck his elbow.

Any injury to Kallis would be a serious concern for the tourists ahead of the first Test at Lord's on 10 July, but a team spokesman insisted the problem was not serious.

"There is bruising around the elbow and Jacques has an ice-pack on it but we are not worried and there is no structural damage," he said.

Amla's innings was the highest individual score by a South African player in 13 meetings with Somerset, surpassing the 157 by Sibley Snooke at Bath in 1907.

The Durban-born batsman, who is on his first senior tour of this country, had been circumspect during the early part of his innings, taking 19 balls to get off the mark.

But after lunch he lofted spinner Michael Munday over long-on for six and then collected boundaries from the next three deliveries to go to his hundred.

Caddick, the only bowler to pose a consistent threat to the batsmen, added the wicket of Duminy, who flicked at a leg-side delivery in the first over of the afternoon session and was caught behind.

Kallis cruised to 152 before he attempted to hook Caddick and was struck painfully on his right elbow.

He briefly continued, and flayed the next two short-pitched balls from Caddick for four, before deciding to leave the field.