South Africa rely on Amla's century

The second Test between South Africa and New Zealand here at Newlands looks to be heading for a draw after bad light curtailed the fourth day with five wickets still in hand for the home side in their first innings.

South Africa had reached 427 for 5 when play was brought to a close, leaving them 166 runs behind New Zealand. Hashim Amla hit his maiden Test century to guide the Proteas towards safety.

Amla reached his hundred in the morning session and advanced to 149 before succumbing lbw to the spinner Daniel Vettori. He had received stout support from Jacques Kallis whose wicket was the only one to fall before lunch after they had put on 144 for the third wicket.

Kallis departed on 71 when he top-edged a Jacob Oram ball to mid-on where Chris Martin took an easy catch. The South Africa all-rounder passed 8,000 Test runs in his 101th appearance, becoming the 17th batsman in the history of the five-day game to do so.