14.4 overs South Africa 563 (Klusener 108, Gibbs 107) and 54 for 1 beat India 379 (Tendulkar 155, Pollock 4-91) and 237 (Pollock 6-56) by 9 wickets
Scorecard

The day began with India looking down the barrel, and South Africa carressing the trigger. But the fatal injury to India was self-inflicted, as all their top-order batsmen, in a display of typical irresponsibility, gifted their wickets away – nine Indian wickets fell for 141 runs today, 31 of which came from the last-wicket partnership. South Africa cleaned up the 54 runs required in 14.4 overs, and won the first Test by nine wickets.

The man of the moment was Shaun Pollock; he took 6 for 56 today, to make it 10 for 147 in the match. While he was his usual efficient self in cleaning up the tail, most of the top order wickets he took were more due to Indian impetuosity than to his own brilliance – though he was the best bowler in the match by a wide margin.

India began the day at 96 for 1 and straightaway the crowds were treated to some vintage VVS Laxman - not his strokeplay, but the manner of his dismissal. Feet firmly stuck in the crease, he flashed his bat outside off to Shaun Pollock, and the ball was soon nestling firmly in the bucket-like hands of Jacques Kallis at second slip (108 for 2). Laxman was out for 29.

Nantie Hayward came in to bowl the third over of the day, served up a short, wide delivery and SS Das, desperate to get a touch, aimed a wild cut. But he managed only to kiss it with the toe of his bat - the ball nestled in the warm embrace of Mark Boucher's gloves, and Das was out for 62 (108 for 3).

Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly then began a process of consolidation, adding 46 runs in about 13 overs. Tendulkar looked calm and assured, and played some delectable strokes off Pollock and Hayward. Ganguly was resolute in defence when the ball pitched in line with the stumps, but was not averse to having a go when it was wide outside off - he cut Hayward uppishly through gully in the 34th over, and Gary Kirsten almost got his hands to it. It wasn't a good omen as Ganguly's most frequent dismissal recently, almost a template now, is being caught at gully off an uppish slash/cut.

Sachin (15) was the first to go, however, driving Kallis tamely into the hands of Herschelle Gibbs at cover - Gibbs looked almost disappointed that he didn't have to dive for it (154 for 4).

Ganguly (30) had a brief partnership with Virender Sehwag, but couldn't last long enough to make a difference; he survived a torrid time from Nantie Hayward in the 51st over but perished immediately afterwards to Makhaya Ntini, fending desperately at – once again – a short ball. Mark Boucher was glad to relieve him of his misery (188 for 5).

Sehwag, meanwhile, looked a man in a hurry. He made 31 off 36 deliveries, and flayed every loose ball he got - there were plenty of them. He had six boundaries to his name, but his best shot didn't get him a run - a stunning straight-drive off Jacques Kallis, more Tendulkaresque than even Sachin himself can manage, crashed into the leg stump at the non-striker's end.

He was out shortly after lunch, in the 54th over, when he hung his bat out to Pollock, the gap between his bat and his body almost as large as the one between India and South Africa; the ball sneaked in through that gap, off an inside edge, into his stumps (196 for 6).

Pollock and Hayward then cleaned up a tail that seemed reluctant for a battle, and devoid of the weapons needed to fight this one. The last wicket put on 31 as Srinath and Nehra slogged around, but a large chunk of those runs were mishits, many attempted hoicks falling into no-man's land till one by Srinath finally flew to Neil McKenzie at midwicket, to hand Pollock his tenth of the match.

South Africa walked in to clean up the 54 runs required, as Sourav Ganguly shocked observers by giving Anil Kumble the new ball, and Kumble shocked South Africa by getting an early wicket. Herschelle Gibbs was the man to go, as the ball pitched on leg, straightened, and banged playfully into Gibbs' pads. The umpire, as if amused by the shape of an overhead cloud, pointed upwards.

But Gary Kirsten and Jacques Kallis, the most dependable batsmen on either side now that Rahul Dravid is an opener, finished the job for South Africa. One more Test match failed to reach the fifth day, giving India some extra time to ponder their predicament.

Amit Varma is assistant editor at Wisden.com India

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