NAGPUR, India-- Hashim Amla was thrilled that his double century had put South Africa in a strong position in the first test against India on Sunday.

"I think scoring a double hundred on any soil is a momentous occasion," the number three batsman told reporters on Sunday after scoring an unbeaten 253 -- his first double century.

"All the personal milestones are fantastic but on the day it's about where the team is situated...it has certainly put India on the back foot," he said.

Amla's effort helped South Africa to declare their first innings closed at an imposing 558-6. India were 25 for no loss in reply at the close on day two.

Amla batted for more than 11 hours and took his overnight partnership with Jacques Kallis (173) to 340.

It was the pair's second triple century stand, after they put up 330 against New Zealand in Johannesburg in 2007.

"The way he has developed his game has been fantastic," Kallis said of Amla. "People wrote him off early on but, the tough character he is, he has proved everyone wrong.

"He is going to score a lot of runs for South Africa in very important situations."

India coach Gary Kirsten said Amla's effort had put India under a lot of pressure.

"It's a big day from the batting perspective tomorrow," he said. "A lot of work to do for the batting side. We need to bat well, that's going to be very important."

LONDON-- First-half goals from Didier Drogba earned Chelsea a 2-0 win over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, securing them a return to the top of the Premier League two points ahead of Manchester United.

Drogba, who has scored 12 goals in 12 appearances against Arsenal since joining Chelsea in 2004, was left unmarked at the far post and simply poked home captain John Terry's header from a Florent Malouda corner in the eighth minute.

Drogba's second came on the break after some sustained pressure from Arsenal, when England midfielder Frank Lampard burst out of his half in the 23rd minute, galloped 20 yards and laid the ball off to the Ivorian on the right of the Arsenal area. The big striker stepped inside Gael Clichy to ram the ball past a stranded Manuel Almunia.

The result, following a 3-1 defeat at home by Manchester United last weekend, leaves Arsenal nine points adrift of Chelsea and seven behind the champions.

Before the goal Chelsea keeper Petr Cech had had to make two saves in quick succession, diverting a ball at Samir Nasri's feet behind for a corner and blocking a shot from Andrei Arshavin with his feet as Arsenal used the speed of Nasri, Theo Walcott and the tricky Russian to harass the Chelsea defence.

But Arsene Wenger's team, so energetic in the build up, lacked the final flourish.

They failed to capitalise on a free kick just outside the area in the 69th minute after subsititute Nicklas Bendtner was brought down by Ricardo Carvalho, Cech pulling off a fine double save. Despite constant moves down the wings, they could not find a way through a defence stubbornly marshalled by Terry.

The Chelsea captain showed no sign of strain despite being stripped of the England captaincy on Friday following a week of lurid press headlines about alleged extra-marital affairs, including one with the former girlfriend of England team mate Wayne Bridge.

Neither Terry, nor Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti, mentioned the scandal in their programme notes and the club have avoided any comment. Ancelotti said on Friday he was not interested in Terry's private life, only in his performance in training and on the pitch. His behaviour there had been "top" Ancelotti said, and he would remain Chelsea skipper.

Almost every touch of the ball by Terry was greeted with boos from Arsenal fans and cheers from the Chelsea support. The 29-year-old flung his shirt into the Chelsea crowd after applauding them following the final whistle.

Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger watched mostly stony-faced as his side's title chances ebbed. His team have not won the league since 2004 and last captured silverware with the FA Cup in 2005.

Arsenal were the last side to beat Chelsea at home, in November 2008, under last-but-one Chelsea coach Luis Felipe Scolari.

Since then Chelsea, under temporary coach Guus Hiddink and then Ancelotti, have put together a 36-match undefeated home run, including 23 in the league.

Another former Chelsea coach, Jose Mourinho, whose Inter side face Chelsea in the Champions League later this month, watched the game from high in the stands.

In Sunday's earlier Premier League game Birmingham City came from behind at home to beat West Midlands rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 with two goals from substitute Kevin Phillips.

Group A Germany Turkey Austria Belgium Kazakhstan Azerbaijan
Group B Russia Slovakia Ireland Macedonia Armenia Andorra
Group C Italy Serbia Northern Ireland Slovenia Estonia Faroe Islands
Group D France Romania Bosnia Belarus Albania Luxembourg
Group E Netherlands Sweden Finland Hungary Moldova San Marino
Group F Croatia Greece Israel Latvia Georgia Malta
Group G England Switzerland Bulgaria Wales Montenegro
Group H Portugal Denmark Norway Cyprus Iceland
Group I Spain Czech Republic Scotland Lithuania Liechtenstein
The qualifying competition starts on Sept 3/4 2010 and ends on Oct.11, 2011.
Co-hosts Poland and Ukraine qualify automatically along with the nine group winners and best runner-up. The remaining eight runners-up compete in two-legged playoffs on Nov.11/12 and Nov.15 2011 to complete the 16 finalists.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida-- Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith, two record-setting offensive powerhouses, were elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday in their first year of eligibility.

Also elected to the Class of 2010 on the eve of the Super Bowl were Russ Grimm, John Randle, Rickey Jackson, Floyd Little and Dick LeBeau.

Rice, 47, owns virtually every significant receiving record, including receptions (1,549) and yards (22,895), and has scored more touchdowns (208) than anyone.

Smith, 40, rushed for a record 18,355 yards during his 15 NFL seasons, most of them spent with the Dallas Cowboys.

"My father instilled in me hard work and appreciation for the game," Rice, a 13-time Pro Bowler widely considered the top receiver to the play the game, told reporters.

"And I love this game. It was really everything to me. I am honoured to be here, to be in front of all of the legends who made football what it is today."

Rice played with the San Francisco 49ers from 1985-2000, before finishing his career with the Oakland Raiders (2001-04), and the Seattle Seahawks (2004)

He was not the most gifted receiver athletically but his work ethic was unparalleled.

"There is a sacrifice you have to make if you want to be the best. I respected this game. I had two great Hall of Fame quarterbacks, Joe Montana and Steve Young, a great owner Eddie DeBartolo, and a great coach. I really loved (the late) Bill Walsh.

"We went out there and we worked and we played the game the right way."

Smith was a bruising running back despite being only 5-foot-9 (1.75 m). He rushed for 164 touchdowns, won three Super Bowls with Dallas, and was the MVP in the Cowboys' title-winning 30-13 triumph over Buffalo in 1994.

He often spoke of breaking Walter Payton's all-time rushing record, which he did in 2002, but never mentioned making the Hall of Fame.

"I was so busy wanting to focus on the things I needed to do from that point on to whenever God said my career was going to be over," he said.

"I believed in that little giant inside of me that said, 'I can.' Coupled with the people that I was able to play with, I felt at the end of my career all of this would be added unto me.

"This is such a special moment. This is one that you don't think about. When you add this cake, and the icing, and the ice cream on top of that, it makes it very, very special."

Smith began crying when he recalled a conversation with his father, an outstanding high school running back in Florida, just before the Hall of Fame results were revealed.

"He said: 'I'm proud of you. I had the dreams of doing what you're doing. But my mother got sick and I never did go to college. You're living my dream.'"

The enshrinement ceremony at the Canton, Ohio, museum will be held on Aug. 7.