Hashim Amla batted through the whole of day three to keep South Africa in the second Test against England, who squandered a couple chances to dismiss the Proteas captain.
The 32-year-old closed unbeaten on 157 and had great support from AB de Villiers (88) and Faf du Plessis (51 not out) as South Africa reached stumps on 353-3 in their first innings.
Although they still trail by 276 runs, Amla’s near-10 hour stay at the crease has put the hosts in a strong position to avoid the follow-on, and from there at least save the match.
Amla was dropped twice. Firstly by James Anderson off Joe Root when he was on 76, as you can see below, and then again by Nick Compton after he had gone to his hundred.
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England cannot afford to give a man who has seven scores in excess of 150 in Test cricket a couple of lifelines, although Amla’s ton today was his first knock of over fifty since January 2015.
Steven Finn took the solitary wicket of the day, having De Villiers caught at mid-wicket 12 shy of his century to end his partnership with Amla at 183. Du Plessis simply picked up where he left off.
And the number five reached a much-needed half-century of his own at Newlands, after a lean spell in the longest format throughout last year, as South Africa finally had their day in the series.
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