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Page last updated at 16:19 GMT, Wednesday, 5 January 2011

Jacques Kallis puts South Africa on top against India

Third Test, Cape Town (day four, close):
South Africa 362, 341 v India 364

Venue: Newlands Dates: 2-6 January Start time: 0830 GMT
Coverage: Live on Sky Sports 2; reports and scorecards on BBC Sport website
Match scorecard

Jacques Kallis winces in pain during his innings
Kallis was in visible pain batting throughout his 380-minute innings at Newlands

A fine century from an injured Jacques Kallis put South Africa in a commanding position to win the third Test and series against India in Cape Town.

The 35-year-old became the first ever South African to score two hundreds in a home Test match with an unbeaten 109 despite batting with a stomach strain.

The hosts set India an intimidating 339 victory target for the final day after they were bowled out for 341.

Harbhajan Singh (7-120) was the pick of India's bowlers.

But once again, the star of the show was Kallis, who moved ahead of Ricky Ponting into second on the all-time list of Test century scorers with his 40th hundred.

The 35-year-old has been in prolific form of late, scoring his fourth century in five Test matches, as well as a double hundred in South Africa's first Test victory in Centurion.

MOST CAREER TEST HUNDREDS
51: Sachin Tendulkar (Ind)
40: Jacques Kallis (SA)
39: Ricky Ponting (Aus)
34: Sunil Gavaskar (Ind), Brian Lara (WI)
32: Steve Waugh (Aus)

His 40th three-figure score was his bravest yet, visibly wincing with pain as his body contorted to defend nasty deliveries which exploded off the Newlands turf.

His 380-minute vigil also ensures that India must chase a record Newlands fourth-innings winning target of 341 to win the three-match series, which would be their first ever in South Africa.

The highest successful fourth-innings run chase was achieved by Steve Waugh's Australia in 2002, when they overhauled a 334 run target.

The next best run chase is over a hundred runs less, achieved by South Africa in 2007 against India as they successfully chased a total of 211.

Despite boasting three of the world's top-10 ranked batsmen in their batting line-up, India must nullify the threat of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel on an increasingly unpredictable surface.

India's frustrations will be further compounded after reducing the hosts to 64-4 in the first 20 minutes of play.

Sreenath appeals for an lbw
Sreenath's appeals were more in desperation than hope at times

Harbhajan ripped out Alviro Petersen and the dangerous Hashim Amla in quick succession before Kallis, who said on Tuesday he would only bat if needed after sustaining the side injury during his first innings century, duly delivered when his team needed their record Test run-scorer the most.

He negated Harbhajan's threat outside off stump by playing a series of reverse sweeps while playing the faster bowlers with caution.

Kallis received excellent support from Mark Boucher (55), sharing a 103-run stand with the wicket-keeper to frustrate India's quartet of specialist bowlers.

Boucher's dismissal at 233-7 epitomised the threat of the pitch when he was trapped lbw by a Sachin Tendulkar delivery which refused to bounce.

However, stiff resistance from Steyn (32) ensured Kallis could push towards three figures, doing so with a leg-side push off Harbhajan in the final hour of play.

A cameo from Morkel (28) was eventually ended by Harbhajan, who wrapped up the South African innings with his seventh wicket off the final ball of the day when Lonwabo Tsotsobe picked out Sreesanth on the long-on boundary.

However, India face an uphill struggle on the final day with fast-bowling duo Steyn and Morkel in menacing form.



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see also
Tendulkar ton gives India impetus
04 Jan 11 |  Cricket
India duo frustrate South Africa
03 Jan 11 |  Cricket
Kallis defies India in final Test
02 Jan 11 |  Cricket
Sehwag to miss SA one-day series
30 Dec 10 |  Cricket
India beat SA to set up decider
29 Dec 10 |  Cricket
India in South Africa 2010-11
18 Jan 11 |  Cricket


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