Kallis, Gibbs in race for year's top scorer honours

The touring Indian cricket squad might unwittingly help South African batsmen Jacques Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs as they lock horns with Australian Mathew Hayden to win the title of top run scorer of 2001.

After South Africa defeated India at Bloemfontein in the first of three Tests, Kallis took the lead with 800 runs, with his team mate Gibbs in second place with 794 runs.

But the Australian batsman, who was in fourth position at that stage after Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene (793), hit 136 in the first Test against New Zealand to surpass both South Africans and end up with a total of 927.

Now Kallis and Gibbs are banking on bridging the gap with big scores against India in the second Test that starts in Port Elizabeth Saturday.

Hayden will be able to add to his score in further Tests against the Kiwis, but the South Africans have the third and final Test against India to add to their tallies.

Other South Africans still in the running as the top 10 scorers for 2001 are Gary Kirsten (721), Neil McKenzie (659), and Daryll Cullinan (619).

Cullinan could have fared better if he played in the Tests against Zimbabwe at the opening of the South African season, but he was not included in the side because of commitments to an English county side, from which he has been released due to injury.

Cullinan hopes to be back in the Test against India next week.

The only Indian batsmen in the top 10 so far are Rahul Dravid in the sixth place with 724 and S.S. Das (700) at number 10. Sachin Tendulkar is edging in at 11th position with 673 runs.

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--Indo-Asian News Service

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