Amla could continue playing his natural game, taking singles and punishing the loose deliveries, because de Villiers came out full of intent. He played almost every other delivery about four yards down the wicket. Before India knew, Mishra had dragged a few deliveries short because of the jumping around, had been pulled for three boundaries down the ground, de Villiers had reached 33 off 52, and Amla was in the 180s.
Amla then pulled out the reverse-sweep against Harbhajan. In the 190s, signs of anxiety were there. He followed an offbreak into his pads, and hit it between keeper and leg slip. Then he spent eight deliveries on 199, but he came down the track and played a lovely cover-drive against Virender Sehwag to bring up the milestone.
That cover-drive, having stepped out to the bowler, was the standout shot of an innings that was so remarkably even you'd be struggle to pick a favourite area or favourite shot in. With de Villiers and JP Duminy falling in relative succession, Amla still stayed solid.
South Africa's lack of intent suggested they wanted to bat till stumps, declare overnight, and start bowling in the morning session, the toughest to bat in. About 40 minutes before close of play, though, Mark Boucher and Amla got a message, they looked to up the rate, but Boucher fell to a slower ball. It always seemed a sudden change of plan to have a go for 15 minutes before stumps, and the declaration came with 25 minutes to go and Amla 24 short of the highest score by a South African.
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