Tons of worries

Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla show how it is done at Centurion.

The grip was firm,and on both sides of the handshake,the smiles were pursed. Around them,eleven Indian players drooped at their shoulders and clapped slowly in utter despair. They were as sick as slapping their tired palms together as Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla were of shaking hands. Amla and Kallis are not the most charismatic personalities on the cricket field,but below their stone-carved emotions,their blades sang merry tunes,collectively forging landmarks and dethroning milestones.

With a simple helmeted nod of the head,Amla communicated his well-wishes to Kallis on reaching his 38th Test ton. Five balls later,Kallis did the same,as Amla shyly waved to the ecstatic crowds for notching up his 12th. A couple of overs down the line,they met again,joined at the palm,celebrating their 200-run partnership.

Statistics dont count for much on the grass-laden stands of the Supersport Park in Centurion. But the following numbers spilled many beer glasses on Friday. Kalliss unbeaten 102 was his seventh against the Indians and sixth century of 2010. His grit-defining knock also saw him go past the 1000-run barrier this year. Amlas languid 116 not out was his fifth ton this year,a period in which he has notched up 1176 runs.

Their double hundred stand was the fifth in each others presence,and second this year against the same opposition in Nagpur a match in which India was humiliated by the troika of Kallis,Amla and Steyn. Ten months after the innings defeat,and a having conceded a lead of 230 runs after just two days of highly one-sided cricket,a repulsive déjà vu looks to be on the cards.

Covered with back-slapping ovation en route the dressing room,Kallis and Amla left the ground through the steeled-step climb with the score reading 366/2 at stumps. The Indians stayed downstairs until late,for a walk up the stairs nestled between two sets of abuse-frothing stands wouldve been more salt than their wounds could afford.

Giving the fabled tunnel of the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg a run for its money,the creaky steel steps that lead in and out of the dressing room at the Supersport Park is nothing short of intimidating.

The tunnel at the Bullring at least offers solace and protection; in Centurion,one climbs right between thousands of physical points of view. Just ask Mahendra Singh Dhoni,who had to make that walk twice in the space of three balls to kick off the sweltering day of cricket. Morne Morkel claimed his fifth without breaking into a sweat,and India were all out for 136.

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Unlike the rain-drenched beginning to the opening Test,a bright yellow sun invited the supporters in fantastic numbers. The heat baked the pitch,sucking the moisture from its eternal depths.

Its holiday season in SA and Christmas came early when both openers,Graeme Smith and Alviro Petersen,brought up their respective half-centuries.

With the score on Nelson,Smith was caught behind off Harbhajan Singh on 62 at the stroke of lunch,and Petersen was dismissed on the other side of the break for a well-made 77,once again by the off-spinner. But Kallis and Amla ensured that New Years was still a long way away,considering their form in 2010.

Never has Zaheer Khan been missed so much by a bowling unit. The trio of S Sreesanth (0/71),Ishant Sharma (0/68) and debutant Jaydev Unadkat (0/60) strained in the lines and lengths,assisted of course by the drying of the juices by the violent sun. While all 10 Indian wickets fell to the pacers in a hurry,the only two wickets that the South Africans lost were to Harbhajan.

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Right from the outset,Kallis put on display his entire array of effective strokes. The 35-year old cracked two delicious boundaries off Harbhajan as preparation for a feast,before he forked Suresh Rainas dibbly-dobblies twice,planting them somewhere in the eastern stand. While Kallis was solid as a rock,Amla was ethereally fluid.

Using his supple hands to consolidate spin,Amla punched gracefully off the backfoot,making the pacers pay for their wavering lines. The pair brought up their 100-run stand just before drinks in the third session,but the partnership was only in its infancy stages.

Sachin Tendulkar too rolled his arm over,a full-toss of which was smashed out of the ground by Kallis to join Amla in the 90s. Pinching the remaining runs in singles and doubles,two handshakes sealed Indias fate.

Zaheers absence hurt us,says Dravid

Centurion:Admitting that India find itself in a difficult position in the ongoing first Test against South Africa here,batting mainstay Rahul Dravid today said the visitors inexperienced pace attack missed injured Zaheer Khans services badly.

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To be honest we are far too behind in this match, Dravid told reporters after South Africa piled up 366 for two on the second day in reply to Indias paltry 136 in the first innings here. Our bowlers tried their best but the conditions had changed. Wicket was playing differently and South African batsmen played well.

But yes we could have bowled better. We were lacking in experience. Zaheers absence was crucial. He is leader of the bowling group and if he was there the bowlers could have bowled better, he added.Dravid,however,said India is not yet out of the contest as there is enough cricket left in the match. There is lot of cricket to be played in this Test.We have to bowl better on the third day and most importantly we have to bat really well in the second innings, he said.

We cannot think or plan about whole innings. We have to play ball by ball and hour by hour and session by session. Wicket has certainly improved. So batting well in the second innings should be possible.