Kallis happy with his front line role

Bloemfontein: Jacques Kallis seems more than happy with his duel role as a front-line batsman and bowler and enjoyed the cut and thrust of what turned out to be the fourth day of the first Test against Zimbabwe.

At one stage he hit Gavin Rennie on the shoulder with a delivery which the speed gun reading140 k/ph, and fast as any Allan Donald sent down during an improved second innings performance in the match South Africa won by an innings and 13 runs yesterday.

Kallis, who turned only 24 late last month, agreed he was quite happy in the role and saw it as a challenge. And one, the man of the match in this first Test admitted, which he was quite happily prepared to accept.

``I have picked up a yard or two in pace and it is quite nice to be able to bowl the way I have this match,'' he said.

It was South Africa captain Hansie Cronje?s view that Kallis was bowling as fast as Donald and this was good for South Africa in view of the Harare Test against Zimbabwe.

Kallis, though, did not find playing a season at county level and coming back to South Africa for the current season as tough as many would expect. Big and strong, the all-rounder felt he was prepared to continue batting at three and use the new ball as long as his captain felt it was necessary.