Amla's double puts onus on India

AB de Villiers salutes Hashim Amla for reaching his maiden Test double hundred, continuing South Africa's dominance

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Hashim Amla hit a battling double century as South Africa moved into a potentially match-winning position in the first Test against India in Nagpur.

Amla hit an unbeaten 253 and was the common figure in sizeable partnerships with Jacques Kallis, who made 173, AB de Villiers and Mark Boucher as the tourists remorselessly piled on the runs on day two against a toiling and tiring India attack.

India’s slow bowlers, in the field for almost two full days, found some success with Harbhajan Singh claiming two victims and part-time spinner Virender Sehwag snaring de Villiers, but South Africa surprised all by declaring at 558 for six late in the day.

India openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag denied the visitors quick wickets as India finished the day on 25 for no loss.

Kallis and Amla ensured no early breakthroughs for the home side in the morning, although Kallis appeared subdued.

The prolific all-rounder’s first runs came in the ninth over in the morning when he lashed Ishant Sharma for a boundary, but he added only 14 runs to his overnight total of 159 in close to 90 minutes at the crease before departing.

Kallis inside-edged Harbhajan onto his pads, the ball popping up to Murali Vijay at short-leg who completed the dismissal and ended a third-wicket stand of 340, a record for a touring team in India.

A double century continues to elude South Africa’s master batsman, who is yet to surpass 189 in 34 Test hundreds.

Amla raised South Africa’s 300 with an edged boundary through gully and hammered Zaheer Khan for consecutive boundaries - and rode his luck through the day.

He survived two chances on 149 when Vijay put down a sitter at short-leg and again when wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni grassed a difficult opportunity off the next ball.

A rare breakthrough arrived for India when JP Duminy missed an attempted sweep and was given lbw to Harbhajan Singh

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De Villiers, who came in at the fall of Kallis’ wicket, showed intent and purpose as he forged a partnership with Amla.

He reached his maiden Test double century with a superbly driven boundary off Sehwag and continued to bat on serenely.

De Villiers used his feet nicely against the spinners and raised his half-century with a single off Harbhajan.

Harbhajan and leg-spinner Amit Mishra had time and again gone past the outside edge of both batsmen, but it was Sehwag who found success in the afternoon session.

De Villiers advanced down the track to hit the bowler over the top, but only managed an outside edge which was taken by Subramaniam Badrinath.

Harbhajan then gave the home side a glimmer of hope when he trapped JP Duminy in front, the left-hander missing an attempted sweep.

However, Mark Boucher, who appeared just before the tea interval, then added 78 for the sixth wicket with Amla, the duo edging the score closer to the 600-run mark.

Zaheer claimed his third victim when he dismissed Boucher, perishing while attempting to up the tempo in anticipation of a declaration.

Boucher attempted to swipe Zaheer over the top, but only skied a catch which Mishra neatly took running back from cover.

Although Dale Steyn joined Amla in the middle, the declaration was made before he could get off the mark.

It left India’s openers to negotiate a tricky period of four overs before stumps, but Sehwag and Gambhir made a confident start to their innings.

In that brief time, Gambhir hit Morne Morkel for boundaries in successive overs, while Sehwag whipped Steyn for four through midwicket for his first boundary.