De Villiers, Kallis pile agony as Indian bowlers bite dust

Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers made mockery of Indian bowling as both of them slammed centuries to stand in a record partnership helping their side to gain a huge 418-run lead after ending the rain curtailed second day on 494-7 in the second Test against India here on Friday.

The scorching heat throughout the first day came up with thunderous showers as a respite for the sparse crowd on the second day with 12 overs still remaining. South Africa finished the day on 494-7 with an unbeaten double ton from AB de Villiers.

De Villiers (217not out) and Kallis (132) ripped apart the hosts' bowling line-up during a 256-run stand for the fifth wicket. The partnership was South Africa's highest against India for any wicket, surpassing the 236 that Gary Kirsten, currently India's coach, and Andrew Hudson added at the Eden Gardens in 1996-97.

It was a frustrating day for the home side, as Indian bowlers had to bite the dust for more than three hours under trying conditions before tasting their first success but by then its too late as South Africa were already 297 runs ahead with five wickets in hand.

Neither spinners nor seamers could mount any kind of pressure on Kallis and De Villiers. Kallis was bit unlucky as he inside-edged paceman Shanthakumaran Sreesanth's delivery on to his stumps in the afternoon session to provide the hosts a much-needed breakthrough.

The experienced Kallis reached to his 30th test century surpassing Australian batting legend Don Bradman's tally of 29 centuries during his responsible 275-ball innings which contain14 fours and a six.

India took the field in quest of early wickets to keep them in the match but South Africa's De Villiers and Kallis played remarkably well to push the hosts for leather hunt for more than a session.

The 24-year-old De Villiers raced to his fifth Test hundred -- his first against India -- with a novel shot in the last over before lunch when he scooped a Sourav Ganguly delivery to fine leg for his eleventh four.

De Villiers got past to his previous best of 178 with a massive six of Harbhajan that landed on the roof over midwicket before he brought up his maiden double hundred.

Kallis had a narrow escape on 61 when a ball from Harbhajan Singh trickled onto his stumps but failed to dislodge the bail after he attempted to play a defensive shot off spinner in the day's sixth over.