Swift de Villiers, resilient Kallis pulverise India

Tourists resist, trailing by 294 runs on day three of first Test against South Africa.

CENTURION: After taking a battering for two days, India finally put up some resistance with a solid start to their second innings on the third day of the first Test against South Africa.

Faced with a massive first-innings deficit of 484 runs, India reached 190 for two at close. Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag put on 137 for the first wicket before Sehwag was caught at wide long-off for 63 off the bowling of left-arm spinner Paul Harris.

Dale Steyn dismissed Gambhir for 80 leaving India with a huge task if they are to avoid defeat.

Earlier, South Africa piled up 620 for four declared, with Jacques Kallis hitting a maiden Test double century and AB de Villiers racing to the country’s fastest Test hundred. Kallis made 201 not out and was content to be the supportive partner as de Villiers went on the rampage. De Villiers raced to his century off 74 balls with 11 fours and five sixes, beating the previous fastest, shared by Denis Lindsay, Jonty Rhodes and Shaun Pollock, by 21 balls.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 19^th, 2010.