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Pakistan playing catch-up after Kallis, Amla tons

Pakistan fought to save the first Test against S Africa after being set a world-record chase following magnificent centuries from Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla on the 4th day on Monday.

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Pakistan finished the fourth day at 109-2 with Azhar Ali on 37 not out and Younis Khan unbeaten on 11, still needing to bat out 90 overs on Tuesday for a draw or score a challenging 342 on a deteriorating Dubai Stadium pitch.

Set 451 to win, Pakistan lost openers Mohammad Hafeez (34) and Taufiq Umer (22) after both gave their team a confident 41-run start.

The best run-chase in all Tests is 418-7, achieved by the West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2003, while Pakistan’s successful target chase stands at 315-9, also against Aussies, at Karachi in 1994.

Pakistan can take heart from the fact they held South Africa to a draw in Lahore three years ago by scoring 316-4, but on a disheartening note they have never scored 400 runs in the fourth innings of a Test.

Earlier, Kallis made 135 and Amla 118 as Pakistan, left a bowler short after paceman Wahab Riaz’s injury on the first day, toiled hard against the two right-handed batsmen before Graeme Smith declared the second innings at 318-2.

Amla and Kallis put on 242 runs for an unbroken third-wicket stand — a new record against Pakistan, beating the 207-run stand Kallis put on with Graeme Smith in Lahore three years ago.

Kallis was the more aggressive of the two as he hit eight boundaries and four towering sixes — three of those off spinner Saeed Ajmal and one off left-armer Abdul Rehman — during his attractive 218-ball knock.

Amla, the most improved batsman at international level this year, notched ten boundaries during his 225-ball stay at the crease.

It was Amla who reached the three figure mark first.

The bearded 26-year-old hit Gul through point to reach 97, then took a couple and in the next Rehman over reached his 11^th Test hundred with a single. He hit nine boundaries and took 190 balls to reach three figures, his fourth this year.

In the next over Kallis completed his 36^th Test century off 185 balls which included seven boundaries and two sixes.

Resuming at 139-2, South Africa continued to build their lead through Amla and Kallis as Pakistan’s bowlers failed to fully test the batsmen.

Amla was the first to reach his half-century, pushing paceman Gul for a single to reach the landmark. He hit five boundaries for his 16^th Test half-century.

Kallis, who hit Ajmal for six off the first ball he faced in the day, also completed his second half-century of the match — the 55^th of his career — with a single off spinner Abdul Rehman.

The second Test starts in Abu Dhabi from November 20.