Obdurate Kallis lifts South Africa

CAPE TOWN, (Reuters) – An assured unbeaten 81 by  Jacques Kallis put South Africa in command on the first day of  the deciding third test against India at Newlands today.
The chunky experienced all-rounder came to the crease with  the hosts struggling on 34 for two but he batted through the  rest of the day to lift them to 232 for four at the close.
Ashwell Prince was unbeaten on 28 after the pair put  together an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 68, frustrating  top-ranked India who are bidding to win their first test series  in South Africa.
Kallis earlier shared partnerships of 72 for the third  wicket with Hashim Amla and 58 for the fourth with AB de  Villiers as South Africa responded well after being sent into  bat under overcast skies.
“Jacques has probably been the key to our team for 15 years  now,” Amla told reporters. “On a testing pitch there’s always  going to be playing and missing. He showed his class today, kept  the innings together and played really well.”
India fast bowler Zaheer Khan made an early breakthrough  when he trapped Graeme Smith lbw for six, the sixth time the  left-arm seamer has dismissed the South Africa captain in nine  tests.
Table Mountain was hidden behind clouds and there were two  rain delays, with 85 minutes lost before lunch and another 27  before tea.
Opening batsman Alviro Petersen fell for 21, edging a drive  off Ishant Sharma into the gloves of wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh  Dhoni.
Amla was in an adventurous mood after the second rain delay,  scoring 37 runs off 32 balls to reach 59 before he hooked  Shanthakumaran Sreesanth into the hands of Cheteshwar Pujara at  deep square-leg.
South Africa had limped to 106 for three but gutsy batting  from Kallis and De Villiers took them to tea without further  loss.
The clouds cleared after the interval and South Africa  batted in bright sunshine for much of an extended final session  but De Villiers failed to cash in as the pitch flattened out,  caught behind for 26 by Dhoni off Sreesanth.
Kallis, who scored his maiden test double century in the  first test in Centurion, struck six fours off 169 balls and  never looked in serious trouble in the testing conditions.
Prince was also in positive mood as he hit three early  boundaries before withdrawing into his shell as stumps  approached.
Sreesanth was the most successful India bowler with figures  of two for 70 in 21 overs.
“There is not much pace in the pitch, but if you hit the  right target there is a bit in the wicket. Zak [Zaheer] and  Ishant are bowling really well,” Sreesanth said.
“All I have to do is cut down the boundary balls, not give  runs and help them.
“It was helpful conditions but they’re leaving the ball  really well. Let’s see how long they can survive because we  should get a couple of breakthroughs with the new ball. We have  to stick to our basics, in any form of cricket patience is the  key.”