Jacques Kallis posts his 33rd Test century to halt England

JACQUES Kallis yesterday stood between England and another significant step towards a Test series victory in South Africa.

Kallis (108 not out) shared half century stands with AB de Villiers (36), Mark Boucher (51) and Dale Steyn (26no) to stall England's ambition as two top-six batsmen made ducks on day one of the third Test at Newlands.

The consequence of Kallis' efforts was a stumps total of 279 for six, after South Africa had stumbled to 127 for five at one stage.

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Kallis was already a centurion this winter, in the drawn first Test, and gave England another taste of the medicine with an immovable 173-ball reprise. The nearest they came to shifting him was a rare false shot on 64, when he pulled a delivery off Graham Onions which steepled safely 40 yards behind the batting crease.

Kallis and Boucher's resolve was much needed in mid-afternoon after Graeme Swann extended his astonishing series with two wickets in two balls to take his winter tally to 16 so far.

Boucher responded with a typical counter-attack, which gathered early momentum with three successive off-side fours in one Swann over. Kallis, meanwhile, was unhurried as he shut England out on his way to the 33rd Test century of his career and his third in succession against these opponents on this ground.

England had still been awaiting vindication of Andrew Strauss' decision to bowl first when Swann suddenly intervened during an extended second session. De Villiers and Kallis put on 76, only for the former to give himself away with a tame chip straight to short mid-wicket. Then JP Duminy fell for his second successive first-ball duck, edging behind when Swann landed one on a perfect length from round the wicket and found some telling turn.

England were perhaps sensing further success but with their contrasting tempos, Kallis and Boucher soon proved otherwise. Their sixth-wicket partnership was threatening three figures when Stuart Broad finally got one to snake past Boucher's front-foot push and hit the back pad to win an lbw verdict which was not overturned on appeal.

Kallis found a new ally in Steyn either side of the second new ball which was taken under floodlights and almost spelled the end for the No 8, who escaped a tough chance at third slip where Jonathan Trott could not hold on off the bowling of James Anderson. The tourists had started with a bang when Ashwell Prince was caught behind off Anderson from only the fourth ball of a match which began half an hour late after overnight and morning rain. South Africa would have been two wickets down for one run after seven balls, had Swann held a regulation second-slip catch when Graeme Smith chased and edged Onions' first delivery.

Smith's opening partner Prince was already gone for a duck, gloving behind a brute of a ball which shaped to swing into the left-hander and then kicked and held its line.

Onions did get Hashim Amla lbw shortly before lunch, though, when he played across full-length swing and missed. Smith then fell to his and Anderson's first ball of the afternoon, well caught behind by a diving Matt Prior as he pushed forward in defence at an outswinger.

(In Cape Town) England won the toss

SOUTH AFRICA First innings

GC Smith c Prior b Anderson 30

AG Prince c Prior b Anderson 0

HM Amla lbw b Onions 14

JH Kallis not out 108

AB de Villiers c Strauss b Swann 36

JP Duminy c Prior b Swann 0

MV Boucher lbw b Broad 51

DW Steyn not out 26

Extras b1 lb11 w1 nb1 pens 0 14

Total (6 wickets, 83.2 overs) 279

Fall: 1-1; 2-46; 3-51; 4-127; 5-127; 6-216.

To Bat: M Morkel, P L Harris, F de Wet.

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Bowling: Anderson 20-1-62-2; Onions 18.2-3-60-1; Broad 19-6-54-1; Swann 22-1-74-2; Pietersen 4-0-17-0.

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