Johannesburg, Feb 16 - Veteran South African batsman Hashim Amla has equalled the record of Test captain Graeme Smith in reaching 6000 runs in his 128th Test innings against Australia at Centurion Park on Saturday.

Smith and Amla are thus jointly the fastest South Africans to achieve the 6000 landmark in innings terms - and 17th overall - although Smith made the record first in his 73rd Test whilst this has been Amla's 74th.

According to Sport24, while making the milestone, Amla was fighting grimly to keep the rampant Australians at bay in the South African second innings, where they were set an unlikely target of 482 to win the first encounter, although he was dismissed for 35 not long afterwards as South Africa headed towards a devastating 281-run defeat.

The report mentioned that late Australian legend Sir Donald Bradman is the runaway fastest batsman to 6000 runs, getting there in only 68 innings and 45 Tests, followed by Garfield Sobers (111 innings, 65th Test). (ANI)