CHENNAI, March 26: South Africa revelled in good batting conditions to pile up 304-4 on the opening day of the first cricket Test against India here on Wednesday.

Neil McKenzie (94), skipper Graeme Smith (73) and Hashim Amla (85 not out) laid the foundations for a big total as the Indian bowlers toiled in oppressive weather and on an unresponsive wicket at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium.

McKenzie and Smith provided the momentum with an opening stand of 132 in their first outing since compiling a world record partnership of 415 against Bangladesh in Chittagong earlier this month.

The duo batted through the morning session to put on 109 by lunch after Smith won the toss and took first strike on a placid wicket.

Smith had made 73 when he lost his wicket midway through the post-lunch session, on-driving Anil Kumble to short mid-wicket where Vangipurappu Laxman moved to his right to take a smart catch.

Smith fell soon after he had slammed three boundaries in one over from seamer Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, but McKenzie and Amla put on 64 for the second wicket to further frustrate the Indians.

McKenzie, who was recalled to the South African side in January after three years in the wilderness, missed a fourth Test century when he edged off-spinner Harbhajan Singh to Rahul Dravid in the slips just before tea.

Harbhajan struck again on the resumption, having Jacques Kallis caught at forward short-leg by Wasim Jaffer for 13 to leave South Africa 244-3.

Amla and Ashwell Prince carried the total to 291 when 37-year-old Kumble, the Indian captain, dived to his left to pick up a low return catch off Prince.

The umpires agreed to have two drinks breaks every session, instead of the mandatory one, as on-field temperatures touched 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) with 75 percent humidity.

“It is disappointing to miss a Test century but if anyone had told me in the morning that I will make 94, I would have taken it happily,” said McKenzie.

“Bangladesh was a watershed for me and I am really enjoying my return to Test cricket. In the subcontinent it is best to open the innings, when the ball is hard and comes off the bat.

“We have a lot of batting left and hope to add another 250 runs.”

Harbhajan was confident India can restrict South Africa on the second day.

“It is a matter of getting a few wickets tomorrow,” the off-spinner said.

“The target is not to give them more than 80 runs. If only we had won the toss and batted first. The wicket is tough for the bowlers as is the weather. But we are determined to win this Test match.”

Smith and McKenzie, who both hit double centuries during their record stand in Chittagong, appeared in prime form as they flayed the Indian seam attack of Rudra Pratap Singh and Sreesanth in the morning session.

Runs flowed freely from their blades as McKenzie opened his account by flicking Rudra Pratap to the square-leg fence, and took two more boundaries off the same bowler.

Smith cut Sreesanth to point and then slashed him over the slips before the seamer beat the South African captain twice outside the off-stump.

Kumble, who came on with his leg-spin in the 11th over, was welcomed by McKenzie with two fours in one over.

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings):

G.C. Smith c Laxman b Kumble 73

N.D. McKenzie c Dravid b Harbhajan 94

H.M. Amla not out 85

J.H. Kallis c Jaffer b Harbhajan 13

A.G. Prince c and b Kumble 23

A.B. de Villiers not out 10

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-4, W-1) 6

TOTAL (for four wkts, 90 overs) 304

FALL OF WKTS: 1-132, 2-196, 3-244, 4-291.

TO BAT: M.V. Boucher, M. Morkel, P.L. Harris, D.W. Steyn, M. Ntini.

BOWLING (to-date): R.P. Singh 14-1-68-0; Sreesanth 15-3-60-0 (1w); Kumble 29-8-61-2; Harbhajan Singh 26-2-92-2; Sehwag 6-1-18-0.

INDIA: Wasim Jaffer, V. Sehwag, R. Dravid, S.R. Tendulkar, S.C. Ganguly, V.V.S. Laxman, M.S. Dhoni, A. Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, S. Sreesanth, R.P. Singh.

UMPIRES: Asad Rauf (Pakistan) and A.L. Hill (New Zealand).

TV UMPIRE: A.M. Saheba (India).

MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Mahanama (Sri Lanka).—AFP