Jacques Kallis signs off for South Africa with a ton that seals third spot on all-time list of Test run-scorers
He allowed himself a brief teary moment as he reached his 45th Test ton
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Your support makes all the difference.A century by Jacques Kallis in what is likely to be his last Test innings emphasised his status as one of the cricketing greats yesterday and ensured a fitting farewell after the South African’s sudden decision to end his 18-year Test career.
His 115 in South Africa’s first innings against India in the second Test in Durban moved him up to third place on the list of Test run-scorers (one run ahead of India’s Rahul Dravid) and helped his side to a 166-run lead on the fourth day at Kingsmead.
The innings characterised the qualities of the 38-year-old – understated, stoic and determined – but also saw a brief display of emotion from a player better known for his dour demeanour. He allowed himself a brief teary moment when the Durban crowd gave him a lengthy standing ovation as he reached his 45th Test ton – a figure bettered only by the 51 scored by the also recently-retired Sachin Tendulkar.
Soon after, Kallis passed Dravid on the list of Test run-scorers but the moment went unrecognised at the stadium. Kallis, who was out when he tried to launch Ravindra Jadeja into the stands and top-edged to wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, has 13,289 runs behind Tendulkar (15,921) and Ricky Ponting (13,378) in the list of top Test batsmen.
The South African’s Test figures – including 292 wickets and 200 catches – stand him out as the best all-rounder of all-time although Gary Sobers of the West Indies remains the sentimental choice of most aficionados.
That has much to do with the fact Kallis lacked a demonstrative personality to go with his fulsome array of strokeplay and ability to dictate the course of a match.
His Test career started slowly and it was only much later that his own country’s fans seemed to warm to him.
“There were times when I could have dominated more,” he told the authors Ali Bacher and David Williams in a new book. “But for years I tried to bat through an innings. When our batting line-up became stronger, I had the opportunity to be more aggressive, especially in Test cricket.”
South Africa had begun the day on 299 for 5 and Kallis, along with nightwatchman Dale Steyn, set about edging them towards a first-innings lead. Kallis brought up his ton with a nudge through mid-on off Jadeja having faced 273 balls and hit 13 fours.
That left the hosts 342 for 5 after 120 overs in reply to India’s first-innings total of 334. Kallis then fell for 115, but Robin Peterson and Faf du Plessis put on 110 for the eighth wicket to help the hosts reach 500, a lead of 166 runs.
India reached the close on 68 for 2, 98 runs behind, and need to bat for the majority of the final day to earn a draw that would make the two-Test series finish 0-0.
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