Amla says Port Elizabeth pitch helped Proteas handle Johnson 'easily'

Sydney: Veteran South African batsman Hashim Amla has admitted that a more placid pitch was one of the main reasons behind their relatively easy handling of Australian pace sensation Mitchell Johnson in the second Test at Port Elizabeth.

Johnson, who claimed career-best Test figures of 12-127 in the opening match on a bouncy Centurion pitch, was restricted to match figures of 3-121 at St.George`s Park and rarely had Amla and his teammates ducking and weaving like he did in the first Test.

According to News.com.au, Amla, who returned to form with a match-high 127 in the second Test, said that the St.George`s Park surface helped his side see off Johnson`s new-ball spells as it was a lot more batter-friendly compared to Centurion, which was a lot harder and had a lot more variable bounce.

Stating that it is difficult for any team to play in a pitch with variable bounce, Amla said that the St.George`s Park pitch was a lot more true and the pace was a bit slower as well, although he added that it is too early to predict what sort of pitch would be prepared for the series decider at Newlands .