Jacques Kallis admitted on Sunday that becoming South Africa’s highest ever Test run getter was an achievement he thought might be beyond him when he was a youngster.
Kallis made 147 in a South Africa total of 588-6 in the first innings of the fourth and final Test against the West Indies to go past Gary Kirsten as his country’s most successful batsman.
He now has 7 313 runs to his name after he and Ashwell Prince (131) posted a new fifth-wicket partnership record.
Kallis (29) continued his love affair with West Indies’ bowling to hit his 22nd Test hundred which was his seventh against the Caribbean side.
”As a youngster, I never thought I would have achieved anything like this in my career,” said Kallis. ”I learnt a lot from Gary and it’s a bit sad that I had to
overtake him, but this has been the highlight of my career.”
In his 93rd Test, Kallis has matured into one of the game’s most reliable batsmen, and reflected on the change in his batting style over the years.
”I have always tried to play according to the situation of the game,” he said.
”There are times when you can kick on and play a few more shots. Then there are times when you have to play a little more circumspectly. When I was much younger, like most young batsmen, I liked to come out and play every shot in the book, but sometimes this did not always work.
”But I learnt what worked for me and the shots that were less risky for me, and I try to stick to those. For a batsman, Test cricket is all about the highest amount of reward for the least amount of risk.”
Kallis and Prince, teammates at Western Province/Boland in the South African first-class championship, put on 267 for the fifth wicket on a docile Antigua Recreation Ground pitch.
”Ashwell has played well and batted well according to the situation in the match,” said Kallis. ”The pitches we have had on this tour have been pretty flat, and
I have always believed that whenever you are ahead, you should cash in. Fortunately, it has gone our way for the last few Tests.”
Prince (27) playing his 12th Test, noted his determination to add another hundred to his unbeaten 139 against Zimbabwe at Centurion earlier this year.
”When I was first came to the wicket, the ball was old and hard to get away,” Prince said. ”When they took the new ball, it came on to the bat better and made run scoring much easier, so I decided to make the most of it.
”It was the sort of pitch you wanted to get in and build confidence, although Jacques was hitting some sweet shots.”
Prince hopes this innings will help him to cement a place in the South African batting line-up on a more regular basis.
”Over the last two years, numbers five and six in the South African team have not been secure, but now I have an opportunity and I hope to make the most of it.” – Sapa-AFP