South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis smashed the fastest 50 in Test cricket on Friday after his team skittled out Zimbabwe for their lowest Test score on the opening day of the first Test.
On a day when records tumbled, Kallis completed a successful day for the hosts by following up his haul of four for 13 by bringing up his half century in just 24 deliveries.
Kallis hit five sixes and three boundaries before being out for 54, helping the South Africans reach 340 for three after Zimbabwe had collapsed to 54 all out in their first innings.
The all-rounder hit a six off Graeme Cremer to reach the landmark and eclipse the record of England all-rounder Ian Botham, who had taken 26 balls to score 50 against India in the 1981/82 season.
The Zimbabwean's paltry total beat their previous worst showing of 63, which was against West Indies in 1999/2000 season.
Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bat but were dismissed in 31.2 overs with only opening bat Stuart Matsikenyeri reaching double figures when he scored 12.
Makhaya Ntini and wicketkeeper Mark Boucher also joined in the act by reaching milestones.
Ntini became only the third South African to capture 200 Test wickets, after Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock, when he dismissed Dion Ebrahim for three.
Boucher claimed his 300th Test dismissal when he caught Brendan Taylor off the bowling of Ntini for two. He followed Australia's Rodney Marsh and Ian Healy into the record books.
With Zimbabwe left shell-shocked after their dismal batting display, South Africa added to their misery by scoring runs with ease.
PREVIOUS MARK
South African openers Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers guided the hosts past Zimbabwe's total in 11.2 overs.
At the close, South Africa broke a 109-year-old record when they moved into a 286-run lead after the first day. The lead broke the previous mark of 233 set by England against Australia in 1896.
The hosts put on 217 for the first wicket off 221 balls before Smith holed out to mid-wicket off leg-spinner Cremer for 121. He scored his runs off 107 balls with 17 fours and two sixes.
De Villiers (98) fell to the same bowler three overs later when he was caught by a running Andy Blignaut at backward point. His runs were scored from 118 balls and included 20 boundaries.
Jacques Rudolph and Kallis continued the onslaught when they came together, putting on 94 for the third wicket off 58 balls.
Rudolph ended the day unbeaten on 49 with Herschelle Gibbs eight not out.
Cremer picked up all three South African wickets to fall for 86 runs.
Earlier Ntini took three for 23 in his 10-over spell as Zimbabwe failed to withstand the attack.
Heath Streak, playing a Test for the first time in a year after patching up his differences with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU), made only nine in his international comeback.
Scorecard
Zimbabwe (1st innings):
S. Matsikenyeri c De Villiers b Ntini 12
B. Rogers c Boucher b Pollock 1
D. Ebrahim b Ntini 3
H. Masakadza lbw Kallis 6
B. Taylor c Boucher b Ntini 2
T. Taibu c De Villiers b Kallis 7
E. Chigumbura c Smith b Kallis 2
H. Streak c Boucher b Pollock 9
A. Blignaut c Boje b Kallis 8
A. Cremer c Kallis b Pollock 0
C. Mpofu not out 0.
Extras: (nb-4) 4.
Total: (all out, 31.2 overs) 54
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-13, 3-20, 4-22, 5-33, 6-36, 7-37, 8-50, 9-50.
Bowling: Pollock 8-4-9-3 (nb-2), Ntini 10-2-23-3, Langeveldt 6-2-9-0 (nb-2), Kallis 7.2-3-13-4
South Africa (1st innings):
G. Smith c Masakadza b Cremer 121
AB de Villiers c Blignaut b Cremer 98
J. Rudolph not out 49
J. Kallis c Blignaut b Cremer 54
H. Gibbs not out 8.
Extras: (lb-1 w-1 nb-8) 10.
Total: (for three wickets, 50 overs) 340
To bat: A.Prince, M.Boucher, S.Pollock, N.Boje, M.Ntini, C.Langeveldt.
Fall of wickets: 1-217, 2-234, 3-328.
Bowling: Streak 13-0-90-0 (nb-4), Mpofu 12-2-53-0, Blignaut 6-0-44-0 (nb-2, w-1), Chigumbura 8-0-53-0 (nb-1), Cremer 9-0-86-3 (nb-1), Matsikenyeri 1-0-6-0, Taylor 1-0-7-0.
