AB de Villiers scored a maiden unbeaten double hundred and Jacques Kallis struck his 30th century to put South Africa in the driver’s seat against India in the second test on Friday. The fifth-wicket pair took their overnight stand to 256 — a South Africa record for any wicket against India who were out for 76 in the opening session of the match. The visitors, looking for an Asian treble following successes in Pakistan and Bangladesh, were 494 for seven — a commanding lead of 418 — when rain brought an early finish to day two. The opening match of the three-test series ended in a high-scoring draw in Chennai last week. De Villiers, who struck 17 fours and two sixes in his remarkable innings of 217 not out, also shared in a 66-run stand for the sixth wicket with Mark Boucher (21). Wicketkeeper Boucher’s dismissal, lbw to leg-spinner Anil Kumble, nearly set off a minor collapse, when Morne Morkel fell to off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who took three wickets on the opening day. Paul Harris (9) was at the crease with De Villiers, who became the first South African to score a double hundred against India, when play was called off 12.4 overs early. De Villiers and Kallis (132) displayed a combination of assured footwork and soft hands against India’s experienced spinners in the morning, before exerting their dominance to put the match beyond the hosts.
