South Africa outclass India to take one-day series

Too slick, too efficient and simply too well organised, South Africa ran away with the Standard Bank One-Day International Series at Kingsmead on Friday with a six-wicket victory that was every bit as comprehensive as the margin suggests.

The Indians were unable to bat through their 50 overs, their last three wickets going down on 183, and it proved a target well within the capabilities of the home team. Gary Kirsten failed in a bid to score his third century of the tournament, but his 87 was the platform for the South Africans who eventually romped home with 7.5 overs to spare.

On the day, and on the night, India were thoroughly outplayed by a team which had all its ducks neatly in order and which played almost flawless limited overs cricket. Almost only because there was one blemish in the field, Lance Klusener missing a straightforward chance at slip to get rid of Rahul Dravid when the Indian had 30.

Dravid went on to make 77, but he was the only one of the Indian top order to fire as the tourists' batting wilted against tight, disciplined seam bowling. The South Africans opted to leave out spinner Nicky Boje, fielding a six-man, all-seam attack and with the possible exception of Jacques Kallis who had a rare off day, each of them played his part near-perfectly.

Shaun Pollock was as miserly as ever, taking two for 19 in nine overs, Nantie Hayward worked up a fair old pace, getting into the 150km/h zone as he took two for 38 and Justin Kemp, the man who took Boje's place, helped himself to three for 20.

India were up against it almost from the off. Sourav Ganguly perished to a wild slash at Pollock for 9, Sachin Tendulkar made 17 before chopping Hayward after which, apart from Dravid, only Virender Sehwag (34) and Reetinder Singh Sodhi (22) reached double figures.

There was some bounce in the pitch and some pace, but 183 was a woeful effort and India simply hadn't score anywhere near enough runs to put the South Africans under pressure. Kirsten underlined this point emphatically.

To start with his timing was a little off, and he gave a chance to slip off Javagal Srinath on 23, but VVS Laxman dived across Sehwag and the catch went down. Thereafter Kirsten played with growing freedom, going down the pitch on a number of occasions to loft the ball straight. He hit Harbhajan Singh for six this way and took two fours off an over from Tendulkar to emphasise that he is currently batting as well as at any stage of his career.

India's fielding lapses were not confined to Laxman. Stand-in keeper Rahul Dravid twice allowed balls to slip past him to the boundary as 14 runs, including 10 extras, came off Ajit Agarkar's second over and later Anil Kumble was to drop Kallis at third man, again off Srinath.

Srinath, in fact, was the best, if also the unluckiest, of India's bowlers as the visiting found themselves at least one seamer short on the night.

Kirsten was eventually caught at slip off Harbhajan Singh - Herschelle Gibbs and earlier been caught and bowled by Harbhajan for 21 - but by then South Africa were well set and although Tendulkar managed to bowl Kallis with a yorker for 39 and have Jonty Rhodes stumped, the outcome was never in any doubt.

It was a thoroughly professional display from the South Africans and another example of India's inconsistency. It would probably be a mistake to read too much into this result in the context of the Test series where India's spinners will play a far more significant role. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that the Indian heads began to droop far too early in the game for their own good as the fight went out of them and South Africa will take a psychological edge from this with them into the Tests.

There was one unpleasant incident towards the end of the game when Harbhajan appeared to be struck by an object thrown from the crowd in the old Grandstand. Police quickly moved and escorted at least one spectator away, but it was not entirely clear exactly what had happened.