November 5, 2001	Monday	haba’an 18, 1422

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BLOEMFONTEIN (South Africa), Nov 4: Herschelle Gibbs hit 107 for his fourth Test hundred and his first on home soil as South Africa’s batsmen dominated day two of the first Test against India Sunday.

After taking just 22 minutes to claim the three wickets they needed to dismiss India for 379 in the morning session, South Africa reached 327 for three at stumps.

Jacque Kallis is unbeaten on 49, while Neil McKenzie fell to the penultimate delivery of the day for 68.

It was a superb fightback from the South Africans who appeared to have been batted out of the game Saturday when Sachin Tendulkar and debutant Virender Sehwag both struck centuries.

Gibbs, whose previous Test hundreds came in New Zealand (twice) and Zimbabwe, reached his century with a towering six over midwicket off Zaheer Khan.

His richly entertaining innings came to an end shortly before tea when he drove Javagal Srinath straight to Zaheer at mid-off. He batted for three hours, during which he faced 145 balls and struck 16 fours and two sixes.

Gibbs was dismissed the over after Gary Kirsten’s fine innings ended, the left-hander bowled for 73 by Anil Kumble off a bottom edge as he swept firmly across the line.

Kirsten’s innings included twelve fours in a first wicket partnership with Gibbs of 189.

It was the third successive Test innings that Gibbs and Kirsten have put on a hundred or more for the first wicket and they did so at a good rate on a pitch that is offering less and less to the bowlers as the match wears on.

Kallis and McKenzie continued the good work, compiling 130 for the third wicket. McKenzie underlined his burgeoning talent with some crisp strokeplay, blunting criticism that he has a weakness against spin by playing Kumble and Sachin Tendulkar without discomfort.

He was out in the final over, lbw to Kumble offering no shot. He made 68 in nearly two and half hours at the crease, facing 134 balls and hitting seven boundaries.

Kallis again looked unshakeable, extending his world record for the time between dismissals in Tests. It is now 1,176 minutes since he was last out, in the fifth Test against the West Indies in Jamaica in April this year.

Earlier, South Africa required just five overs and one ball to wrap up the Indian innings. Shaun Pollock and Mornantau Hayward claimed the final three wickets as India added just seven runs to their overnight 372 for seven.

Pollock struck twice in his third over of the morning, Deep Dasgupta (32) edging a good delivery outside off stump to wicket-keeper Mark Boucher who took a fine catch diving to his right.

Two balls later new batsman Zaheer (0) flashed wildly at Pollock and edged to Boucher.

The first delivery of the next over ended the Indian innings when Srinath (1) fended a rising delivery towards point where Gibbs swooped to claim a one-handed catch.

Pollock finished with four for 91, while Hayward took three for 70 on his return to the Test side after an absence of more than a year.