Cape Town, Jan 6: India's quest for a historic Test series win in South Africa ended in agony after the home team fought their way to a five-wicket, series-clinching victory here today with some sensible batting. Chasing 211 for victory, the South Africans held their nerves as they negotiated a deteriorating fifth day track to overhaul the target and record a memorable come-from-behind 2-1 series triumph in overcast conditions. Skipper Graeme Smith laid the foundation for the run chase with 55 while all-rounder Shaun Pollock, promoted to the number four slot, chipped in with a useful 37 to take the game away from the visitors, who lacked the firepower in bowling.
The Indians had themselves to blame for the debacle as they blew away a 41-run first innings lead with a pathetic batting display in the second, which allowed the hosts to come roaring back into the game. Ashwell Prince (38 not out) hit the winning stroke off Sachin Tendulkar to trigger off scenes of jubilation in the South African dressing room, which at one time looked tense with the weather threatening to play spoilsport. Veteran Anil Kumble, on whom India's hopes rested, lacked the sting and never really looked menacing against the South Africans, who countered him without any trouble.
In the circumstances, Zaheer Khan (4-62) tried his best and took two quick wickets on an absorbing final day's play to raise visions of an Indian victory but that hardly proved enough in the end. The hosts, resuming at 55 for 2, coasted home well past the scheduled close of play but that was only because rain and inefficient groundstaff had held up their progress for most of the day. It was the fifth-wicket pair of Jacques Kallis (32) and Prince who guided the team out of a tricky spot by sharing a 77-run stand and were only separated when the all-rounder skied a catch with only two runs remaining for the win. Smith's masterstroke in promoting Pollock to No. 4 at the start of the day paid off well as the Indians were rattled to see 56 runs being scored in a mere 10.4
overs.
It was at this stage that heavens opened and persistent rain held up play. Even as it rained, the groundstaff tried to take the pool off the sheets only to realise that supersopper would not work because of drained battery. The comedy of errors was complete when it emerged that nobody knew how to take the water off the bucket of the machine. So even as rain stopped in the afternoon, taking water off the sheets was a struggle and a good one hour was wasted before the umpires could commence the game at five past three. With gathering gloom, the remaining 80 overs on the board were not likely to please Smith who began in aggressive fashion in order to finish off the game. But Zaheer held back that charge by accounting for Smith and Pollock in an incisive eight-over spell but the back-up bowling of the visitors was an issue on the day.
Smith was brilliantly caught off an inside edge by Dinesh Kaarthick while Pollock guided a catch to V V S Laxman at slip. Munaf Patel made a cosmetic entry at the bowling crease and bowled the final over before tea break but it was apparent that the bowler was not fit and his sore ankle had flared up again. Tendulkar also did not bowl much as the word was out that he had batted in muscular pain in the back on the fourth day and had needed an injection. Kallis and Prince to their credit batted with great composure even as heavy clouds hung overhead.
Scorecard(Agencies)
