India reeling as southpaw strikes

By David Isaacson

Bangalore - Late replacement Nicky Boje wrecked India's top order as South Africa marched closer to an historic series victory on the fourth day of the second and final Test in Bangalore on Sunday.

India, needing 321 to make the tourists bat again, were still 125 runs adrift when they reached stumps at 196 for five wickets after a rickety innings - propped up by veteran Mohammad Azharuddin (73 not out).

The home team, however, had got off to a good enough start until Boje - omitted from SA's sub-continent touring party before injured left-arm wrist spinner Paul Adams was ruled out - made the early breakthroughs.

The southpaw gave the Indians a taste of their own medicine with his left-arm deliveries, single-handedly reducing the home team from 47 without loss to 71/3.

The 26-year-old Free Stater, who weighed in with 85 runs during his knock as nightwatchman on Friday, had openers Rahul Dravid (18) and Wasim Jaffer (23) caught in the slips before lunch.

After the break, he trapped captain-in-waiting, number three Sourav Ganguly (13), leg before.

His first two wickets cost just one run from five overs. At the end of play, his analysis was 31-12-56-3.

Boje was called into the attack after seamers Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock and Mornantau Hayward had failed to contain the Indian batsmen.

Dravid and Jaffer put on 47 runs for the first wicket, finding the boundary on eight occasions as SA's speed battery struggled to extract pace off the pitch.

Even skipper Hansie Cronje, one of SA's sharpest bowlers in the series to date with his medium pace, switched to delivering off-breaks after his first two seam overs were clobbered for 16 runs.

Donald was the first speedster to claim a wicket when he enticed Sachin Tendulkar into flashing at a wide delivery, which he cut straight to Herschelle Gibbs at point.

That - White Lightning's 296th Test wicket and his fifth dismissal of the batting genius - ended what had threatened to turn into a dangerous partnership.

Mohammad Kaif (23) and Azharuddin put on 49 in 82 minutes for the fifth wicket until Jacques Kallis sent Kaif packing with an lbw decision.

Hometown hero Anil Kumble (14 not out), who will have a traffic circle named after him for taking 10 wickets in an innings in the recent Test against Pakistan, joined Azharuddin and they held firm for 84 minutes until stumps were drawn.

He and Azharuddin put on 52 from 132 balls.

Azharuddin, who has been at the crease for nearly 3½ hours (144 balls, 10x4 1x6), reached his 50 (160m 121b, 5x4 1x6) by carting Boje over deep extra cover for six.

The next delivery, he smashed the South African back over his head for four.

But while Azharuddin gave the vocal supporters much to cheer about, even he can do little to stop the tourists claiming an historic series victory on Monday - the first by a visiting side since Imran Khan's Pakistanis 13 years ago.

Earlier, SA lasted for just 16 deliveries as they added seven runs to their overnight 472/8.

Mark Boucher (15) was bowled round his legs by Murli Karthik while Donald (7) - after pulling Kumble for a four - was trapped leg before by the right-arm wrist spinner. Kumble finished with 6/143.

SA lead the two-match series 1-0. - Sapa