Jacques Kallis says getting a double century at Newlands is very special, a ground thats been home to him for most of his career.
Dressed smartly in black trousers and black golf shirt, Jacques Kallis strode into the press conference looking more like Gary Player about to tee off than a batsman who had just scored his second Test double century.
The golf-persona may not have been intended, although he did say yesterday Newlands was to him “like a golfer feels about his favourite course”.
A year ago, Kallis celebrated his maiden double-ton with a mock golf drive. There were no putt or chip shot celebrations yesterday.
Instead there was a more animated swing of the willow in the direction of the dressing room and a little jump for good measure. Did this mean his new highest score, 224, had greater value than the maiden double?
“They are both special, but the special part was getting a big one at Newlands,” Kallis said after playing a leading role in South Africa posting 580/4 declared.
“The series is levelled at 1-1, and we needed big performances, and I am glad I could put in a big performance.”
Kallis further enthused about the emotion attached to delivering in front of his home crowd – a ground where he has now scored 2 098 Test runs.
“Growing up, I watched a lot of cricket here, and played here quite a bit early on in my career, and it feels like ‘home’. I am very comfortable in the surroundings, and it does tend to lift my game. The crowd has also been very good to me over the years,” the 36-year-old added.
After such a marvellous performance, it seems almost absurd that questions were floating around last month about whether Kallis’s eyes were deteriorating.
Questions were asked because Aussie teenage express Pat Cummins roughed up Kallis before Sri Lankan paceman Dilhara Fernando struck him on the side of the head in the first Test of this series. The theory gained momentum when Kallis suffered a first-ever pair of ducks in the previous Test at Kingsmead.
Kallis may have had implants to prevent his growing hair loss, but there is nothing wrong with his eyes or his ears, for that matter. He had heard whispers of what was being discussed.
“Luckily I don’t read newspapers, but a couple of people did tell me what was being written,” he shrugged. “Crazy … c’mon, seriously … suddenly you can’t do this, you can’t do that. You don’t become a bad player or team after just one game.”
In what was almost a mirror-image to the 288-run partnership between Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke for Australia against India in Sydney yesterday, Kallis had the heir to his throne with him yesterday.
AB de Villiers, like Clarke for Australia, is the future of South Africa’s batting, and shared a 192-run partnership with Kallis for the fourth wicket – only five runs short of a record for this ground which has stood since the 1938-39 season, made by a pair of England legends in Wally Hammond and Les Ames.
De Villiers, though, flourished when Kallis departed, finishing unbeaten on 160 not out.
“AB is a special player, I am glad to have had the best seat in the house when he was batting. He will be one of the great players. He really flourishes when the pressure is off and he can express himself,” Kallis said.
In terms of the match situation, Kallis was not despondent about the state of the wicket, and believed “there will be turn and bounce” for leg-spinner Imran Tahir to exploit as the match progresses.
Sri Lanka coach Geoff Marsh said surviving the first session would be crucial, especially with their most senior batsmen Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jaywardene at the crease.
As for Kallis, Marsh came up with his own tribute.
“Absolutely fantastic,” he said. “One of the greats, people talk about Sachin Tendulkar, but Kallis’s record is unbelievable. He is one of the best. Right up there.”
Brave heart: SA captain Graeme Smith throws down the gauntlet by declaring well before tea on 580/4, when others might have carried on.
On bended knee: AB de Villiers, in marriage proposal mode, slams Tillakaratne Dilshan for successive sixes over midwicket and long-on in the 135th over.
Audacious AB: The Proteas vice-captain steps away to leg and smacks Rangana Herath over extra-cover for four shortly before the declaration.
And for some balance: Kumar Sangakkara’s sumptuous square drive for four off Morné Morkel to take him into the 30s.
Missing in action: The normally reliable Mahela Jayawardene misses two tough slip catches off Jacques Kallis (on 171 and 183)
Lunging leggie: Imran Tahir saves a single with a great TV dive at midwicket, early in Sri Lanka’s reply.
Super stat: 580/4 declared is the Proteas’ highest total against Sri Lanka (by 76 runs), while Jacques Kallis’s 224 beats current coach Gary Kirsten’s previous highest score of 180 against the tourists.
In overdrive: AB de Villiers, who raced from 100 to 160 off just 29 balls, hitting eight fours and two sixes in the period. – Cape Times