Kallis acclaimed after match-turning century

Jacques Kallis was hailed as a cricketing great by team-mate Mark Boucher and opponent Harbhajan Singh after he batted through pain to hit his second century of the match and put South Africa on top on the fourth day of the series-deciding third and final Test against India at Newlands on Wednesday.

Kallis made 109 not out as South Africa recovered from a precarious 130 for six to be all out for 341 off the last ball of the day - leaving India with the near impossible task of scoring 340 to win on a wearing pitch on which uneven bounce could make batting difficult on the final day. "We have one of the greatest cricketers who ever lived, in our own country," said Boucher, whose seventh wicket stand of 103 with Kallis turned the match in South Africa's favour.

Harbhajan, who took seven for 120, concurred.

Top-class

"He's a top-class player. I have not seen many people handle a situation the way he did today. He's got runs on a difficult wicket. I rate him very highly. He has taken on the responsibility and he has the technique... I rate Jacques Kallis as the best player in the world after (Sachin) Tendulkar."

Kallis suffered a bruised rib and strained muscles in his right side when he was injured while batting during his first innings of 161. He did not field during India's innings and Boucher said he had been given "four or five" injections. "I don't think anyone understands the pain he is in at the moment," said Boucher.

Character

"I have just spoken to the doctor and he says it is like someone breaking your rib. It just goes to show the character of the guy."

It was the second time Kallis had scored twin hundreds in a Test match, a feat achieved six times by South Africans, although not previously on home soil.

The innings took Kallis into second place on the all-time list of Test centurions. It was his 40th hundred, one more than Ricky Ponting of Australia and 11 fewer than India's Tendulkar.

Kallis and fellow veteran Boucher (55) came together in what Boucher described as a pressure situation.

"That's the reason why we play the game," he said. "It feels so good when you handle the pressure and come out on top."

Confident

Boucher said South Africa were confident they could clinch the series on the final day.

"After the heat wave we have had for the past two days and a bit of wind, the pitch is pretty dry. The bounce is definitely getting more variable.

"We have two guys who can bowl at 145 kilometres an hour and that can be pretty nasty to face. We're comfortable that there are enough overs left in the game to win it if we bowl well." AFP