Kallis hits 158 as South Africa pile up 561

Close West Indies 87 for 1 (Ganga 49*) trail South Africa 561 (Smith 132, Gibbs 60, Kallis 158, van Jaarsveld 73, Hinds 3-79) by 474 runs
Scorecard

Jacques Kallis, whose imperious 158 was his 12th Test century, lifted South Africa into a seemingly impregnable position on the second day at the Wanderers. They were eventually bowled out for 561, their highest Test total against West Indies, who reduced the deficit by 87 in 31 overs after tea for the loss of one wicket.

It was Andre Nel, gurning and grimacing like a clean-shaven Merv Hughes, who made the breakthrough for South Africa. He had fizzed a couple past Wavell Hinds's nose in his first over, and later squared him up to induce a weak drive that lobbed to Robin Peterson at backward point (43 for 1). Nel was impressively quick and direct, and kept it tight while all the other bowlers were leaking runs down to third man. But Daren Ganga, who played some delicious drives, and Ramnaresh Sarwan survived a tricky spell until the close, at which point West Indies still needed a daunting 275 runs just to avoid the follow-on.

Kallis led the way in South Africa's big innings, stroking 17 fours and a six in his 297-ball stay. Resuming with 87, he soon reached three figures, with a crunching square-cut for four, to the delight of another rather disappointing crowd of just over 8000. Kallis was rarely in trouble, although at 109 he did mis-pull Fidel Edwards just beyond the grasp of the diving Merv Dillon at mid-on. He made Dillon pay for that miss shortly afterwards with the shot of the day, leaning back and lashing a short one savagely over point for yet another four.

Kallis had lost his overnight partner in the first over of the day. Martin van Jaarsveld started brightly with a four off Dillon - the 13th boundary in his Test-best 73 - but padded up to the last ball, which jagged back and trapped him in front (372 for 4). It was just the start that West Indies needed on another warm day, which had started badly for them with the news that Chris Gayle had torn a hamstring in the field yesterday and would not field (and he will bat at No. 7, with a runner).

Neil McKenzie took 17 balls to get off the mark, before squeezing a boundary between third slip and gully, and four runs later drove low to point, where the substitute Dave Mohammed couldn't latch on to a difficult chance. But McKenzie had made only 8 in an hour when he hooked at Edwards and was given out caught behind by Darrell Hair, although the replays suggested the ball only kissed his shoulder (398 for 5).

Mark Boucher survived an enjoyable joust with his old Border team-mate Vasbert Drakes, who bowled an impressively tight spell in the morning despite a niggling side strain. Boucher had made 27 in a stand of 64 with Kallis when he squirted a drive off Corey Colllymore to be well caught by a diving Ganga in the gully (456 for 6). One allrounder replaced another, and Shaun Pollock was equally solid, once swatting Collymore for a contemptuous four through midwicket.

Pollock and Kallis completed another fifty partnership before Kallis finally fell. He jabbed down on one from Dillon that came back in and kept low, and only under-edged it into his stumps (510 for 7). Kallis the batsman might not have liked it much, but Kallis the bowler must have smiled inwardly as the pitch began to play tricks.

Pollock soon inside-edged one of Hinds's teasing medium-pacers through to Ridley Jacobs (520 for 8), and next ball Nel missed a straight one. But there was more torture to come for West Indies: as thoughts turned to their innings, Makhaya Ntini hit out, walloping 16 in Hinds's next over, including a cracking straight six. The last pair piled on the agony with a stand of 41, rushing the total past 550, before Peterson (25) nicked one to Jacobs.

It was a much-improved performance with the ball by West Indies, and their batsmen did their bit in the evening session on a pitch that remains good, although some worrying cracks are beginning to make their presence felt. But tomorrow will be a crucial day - and you can't help thinking that a lot will depend on the next man in - Brian Lara, in his 99th Test match.