Thaindian News

By Sirshendu Panth
Kolkata, Feb 14 (IANS) Twin tons from debutant opener Alviro Petersen and the in-form Hashim Amla put South Africa in the driver’s seat at tea on the opening day of the second cricket Test against India here Sunday.

Peterson, drafted into the playing XI after Mark Boucher was down with a back spasm, was the sole batsmen to get out in the post lunch session. He scored a confident and chanceless 100, that included several well-timed flicks and elegant cover drives as South Africa made 228 for two after the end of the second session’s play at the Eden Garden.

Amla also seemed to be continuing from his unconquered 253 in the opening Test at Nagpur with another unbeaten 114, as he and Petersen stitched together a fluent 209-run partnership for the second wicket that enabled their side to seize the initiative from the hosts after the early loss of skipper Graeme Smith (4).

The big wicket of Smith fell as early as the third over of the morning, as the South African captain tried to defend a Zaheer Khan delivery that came in sharply after pitching outside the off stump and knocked down his wicket through the gate.

Amla played an effortless knock studded with 14 boundaries and a six, with a sublime straight drive off Amit Mishra and a majestic cover drive off Harbhajan Singh deserving special mention.

His only blemish came when he jabbed at a flighted delivery from Harbhajan, got an edge but V.V.S. Laxman dropped the dolly at slip.

Amla was the first to reach his 100 with a cover driven boundary off Mishra. The milestone was achieved in 179 minutes.

Peterson, who started off aggressively in the morning, firing a 55-ball 50, became cautious as he neared his three-figure mark. Finally he completed his maiden ton in 221 minutes picking up a single off Mishra. However, the 29-year old did not last long thereafter and departed in the very next over edging Zaheer behind the wicket.

At tea, Kallis was at the wicket without opening his account. Earlier, the visitors made 116 for one at lunch after electing to bat on a wicket that had no demon in it despite the presence of a tinge of grass.

However, in the afternoon session some of the deliveries moved, which could have warmed the hearts of Dale Steyn.

Setting at rest all speculations, India made only one change - a predictable one - to their line up in Nagpur, bringing in seasoned campaigner Laxman instead of local boy Wriddhiman Saha.