Ken Borland

Captain Hashim Amla was still at the crease with a superb 178 not out as he took South Africa to a commanding 449 for four at lunch on the second day of the first Test against the West Indies at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Thursday.

Amla, who began the day on 133 off 242 balls, applied himself diligently on the second morning, adding 45 runs off 88 deliveries to ensure South Africa did not waste a rousing first day to the Test in which he and AB de Villiers added an unbroken 283 for the fourth wicket to take them to 340 for three at stumps.

The pair took their partnership to 308, the highest for any wicket at Centurion in 19 Tests, before De Villiers was dismissed in the 100th over, the ninth of the day.

De Villiers was once again in inspired form as he cruised to 152 in five hours, 18 minutes, facing 235 balls and stroking 16 fours and two sixes.

But totally against the run of play, he then edged an expansive lofted drive at left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn, who obtained a smidgen of turn, and the ball skewed comfortably into the hands of cover-point.

Debutant Stiaan van Zyl then came in and was in trouble early on, almost turning his first ball from Benn into the hands of leg-gully, playing and missing outside off stump against the quicks and even being dropped by Kraigg Braithwaite at leg-gully off Benn when he had just two.

But the left-hander then settled and played some impressive strokes through the off-side, reaching a half-century on debut in good time, off 74 balls with eight fours.

Fast bowler Kemar Roach is expected to make an appearance in the second session, but having spent the best part of a session-and-a-half off the field having an ankle ligament niggle treated, he won’t be allowed to bowl before South Africa, in firm control, have surely declared.

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The Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers record partnership was like an express train gaining momentum as they powered South Africa to a commanding 340 for three at stumps on the first day of the first Test against the West Indies at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Wednesday.

The pair looked unstoppable as they added an unbroken 283 for the fourth wicket, a record for South Africa against all teams, beating the 249 Jacques Kallis and Gary Kirsten put on against the West Indies in Durban in 2003/04.

They were brought together when South Africa had been rocked by three quick wickets, pacemen Kemar Roach and Sheldon Cottrell striking three times in three overs as the hosts slumped from 57 without loss to 57 for three.

But with superb shot-selection, a positive mindset and magnificent skill, Amla and De Villiers completely turned the momentum around.

Amla finished the day on 133 not out, his 23^rd Test century and first against the West Indies, batting for 290 minutes, facing 242 balls and stroking 17 fours.

De Villiers came to the crease five minutes later than his captain and reached stumps on 141 not out, his 20^th Test century and fifth against the West Indies, having faced 211 deliveries, hitting 15 fours and two sixes.

“The pitch flattened out a little bit in the afternoon and we made it work for us. It was a pretty decent day although it felt a bit weird in the beginning because we haven’t played Test cricket in such a long time. I told Hash that the first minutes we spent out there felt like a full day already, it really felt very long, and I just tried to take it one ball at a time,” De Villiers said after the close of play.

“We were in trouble at 57 for three, they bowled well up front. We tried to just hang in there as much as possible and leave well because there was some juice in the pitch and the ball was shaping quite a bit. The second and third session the wicket flattened out a bit and we managed to capitalise. I hope we can go on, 340 is a good total on the first day and if we can get close to 500 it would be ideal,” Amla said.

Amla was being kind because the West Indies horribly wasted a good toss to win and the new ball in overcast, bowler-friendly conditions. Their lack of control meant openers Alviro Petersen and Dean Elgar weren’t just happy for their daily bread but rather a boundary ball practically every over as they raced to 50 in the 10^th over.

But neither opener had the considerable stores of patience and concentration that mark Amla and De Villiers out as greats of the game and they both departed within seven balls of each other.

Petersen had moved briskly to 27 with six fours before getting out when well set, as he has done so often in the recent past, edging a back-foot push at an innocuous delivery from Roach to first slip.

Elgar’s decision to flash loosely at a short, wide delivery from left-armer Cottrell in the next over was not a smart one and he was caught in the gully for 28.

The West Indies’ decision to bowl first then looked fully justified as Faf du Plessis followed a Roach delivery that shaped away from him, edging behind to captain Denesh Ramdin for a duck and South Africa were vulnerable to a knockout punch on 57 for three.

“At 57 for three, it didn’t look as if there was any gulf between the sides and bowling first looked a good option with the pitch under covers for all day yesterday. We were starting to abuse Hashim for losing the toss!” Proteas coach Russell Domingo joked.

By lunch, Amla and De Villiers had taken South Africa to 102 for three – the West Indies still ahead on points – but by tea it was the tourists who had been knocked to the canvas as the home side had cruised to 225 for three.

Amla had two moments of good fortune, Roach hitting the stumps in the first over after lunch when he had 25 but extraordinarily failing to dislodge the bails, and left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn also coming very close to bowling him with an arm-ball when he had 33.

By stumps the battering was complete, the West Indies having lost Roach, their best bowler, to injury, and the first day’s action certainly points to the fragile West Indian batsmen having a massive total to match.

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Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers batted through the second session and carried South Africa to a commanding 225 for three at tea on the first day of the first Test against the West Indies at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Wednesday.

Both batsmen were closing in on centuries with Amla on 79 not out and De Villiers on 85 not out, having added 168 for the fourth wicket and thoroughly shifting the momentum after a tough morning session in which South Africa had been sent in to bat in overcast, bowler-friendly conditions.

Kemar Roach had been the best of the West Indies bowlers with two for 28 in 11 overs and he was unfortunate not to bowl Amla on 25 in the first over after lunch as he hit the off stump but the bails merely wobbled without coming off.

The other two West Indian quicks, Jerome Taylor and Sheldon Cottrell, were all at sea as they sprayed the ball around and were duly punished by two of the classiest batsmen in world cricket, Amla and De Villiers collecting 18 fours and a six in the 30 overs bowled after lunch.

While Amla was not entirely on top of his game, he was also fortunate not to be bowled on 33 when he was beaten all ends up by left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn’s arm-ball, De Villiers was all class, marching to his half-century off 78 balls, with 10 fours.

Amla showed why there is so much hype about his wristy strokeplay, however, as he reached his 50 off 87 balls, with seven fours, most of them spanked through the off-side with superb timing.

Apart from the lack of control displayed by Taylor and Cottrell, the West Indians also erred badly in only bowling Roach for five overs in the second session, all of them straight after lunch.

Amla and De Villiers were once again earning themselves gold stars as they steadied South Africa after the loss of three wickets without a run being scored, taking the hosts to 102 for three at lunch.

Amla and De Villiers came together after an amazing collapse saw South Africa slump from 57 without loss to 57 for three, a previously-toothless West Indian attack suddenly taking wickets in three successive overs.
It was an extraordinary turnaround given how poorly the visitors had bowled in the first hour, producing assorted lengths and lines as openers Alviro Petersen and Dean Elgar brought up their 50 partnership in just the 10th over.

Petersen was the first to go, getting a start but only making 27 before he pushed at a regulation shortish delivery from Roach and edged it to first slip.

Just seven balls later, Elgar edged a loose drive at a short, wide delivery from Cottrell and was caught by Marlon Samuels in the gully for 28.

It was not smart batting by the South African openers, letting an ill-disciplined West Indies side back into the game, and worse was to follow another seven balls later when Faf du Plessis fell for a duck.

Du Plessis couldn’t resist sparring at a fine delivery from Roach that just shaped away a bit and bounced more than expected, the edge safely taken by wicketkeeper and captain Denesh Ramdin.

South Africa were shaky at 57 for three after being sent in to bat, but Amla and De Villiers are both well-versed in saving the Proteas.

Amla swiped three fours through the off-side off Taylor, while De Villiers played himself in, playing straight and reaching 16 not out at the interval.

With debutant Stiaan van Zyl and young Quinton de Kock next to bat, South Africa’s hopes of a good total probably rested on their two best batsmen putting together a sizeable partnership and that has been achieved.

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Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers were once again earning themselves gold stars as they steadied South Africa after the loss of three wickets without a run being scored, taking the hosts to 102 for three at lunch on the first day of the first Test against the West Indies at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Wednesday.

Amla and De Villiers came together after an amazing collapse saw South Africa slump from 57 without loss to 57 for three, a previously-toothless West Indian attack suddenly taking wickets in three successive overs.

It was an extraordinary turnaround given how poorly the visitors had bowled in the first hour, producing assorted lengths and lines as openers Alviro Petersen and Dean Elgar brought up their 50 partnership in just the 10th over.

Petersen was the first to go, getting a start but only making 27 before he pushed at a regulation shortish delivery from Kemar Roach and edged it to first slip.

Just seven balls later, Elgar edged a loose drive at a short, wide delivery from Sheldon Cottrell and was caught by Marlon Samuels in the gully for 28.

It was not smart batting by the South African openers, letting an ill-disciplined West Indies side back into the game and worse was to follow another seven balls later when Faf du Plessis fell for a duck.

Du Plessis just couldn’t resist sparring at a fine delivery from Roach that just shaped away a bit and bounced more than expected, the edge safely taken by wicketkeeper and captain Denesh Ramdin.

South Africa were shaky at 57 for three after being sent in to bat, but Amla and De Villiers are both well-versed in saving the Proteas.

Amla swiped three fours through the off-side off Jerome Taylor on his way to 25 not out, while De Villiers played himself in, playing straight and reaching 16 not out at the interval.

Their partnership is currently worth 45 and, with debutant Stiaan van Zyl and young Quinton de Kock next to bat, South Africa’s hopes of a good total probably rest on their two best batsmen putting together a sizeable partnership.

Roach was the pick of the West Indian bowlers, featuring twice on the scorecard as he claimed two for 16 in six tidy overs.

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