Jacques Kallis hit a calm, chanceless century to keep South African hopes alive on the first day of the third Test against England at Newlands here Sunday. Kallis made 108 not out as South Africa recovered from 127 for five to reach 279 for six at the close. It was a crucial innings by Kallis for a team under pressure after losing the second Test in Durban by an innings and 98 runs to go 1-0 down in a four-match series. He shared three half-century partnerships as South Africa clawed its way back into contention after a poor start. South Africa slumped to 51 for three before Kallis and AB de Villiers put on 76 for the fourth wicket. But then off-spinner Graeme Swann took two wickets in two balls to plunge it to 127 for five. But wicketkeeper Mark Boucher hit an aggressive 51 and helped Kallis add 89 for the sixth wicket, before Dale Steyn partnered South Africa's senior batsman in an unbeaten seventh wicket stand of 63. It was Kallis' 33rd Test century, his sixth at Newlands and his third in successive Tests against England at the ground. Kallis reached his century shortly before the second new ball was due when he hit a full toss from part-time spinner Kevin Pietersen to the wide mid-off boundary for his 11th boundary. He had faced 173 balls. Rain delayed the start of play by half an hour and Andrew Strauss' decision to bowl first paid an early dividend when James Anderson had Ashwell Prince caught behind for nought off the fourth ball of the match. Veteran fast bowler Makhaya Ntini was dropped from the South African team and replaced by Friedel de Wet. South Africa will, meanwhile, play two Tests and three One-Day Internationals on its tour of India this year, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said Sunday.
