DOUGHTY WARRIOR: Shaun Pollock came up with a fine knock to put South Africa in a position to press for victory. — Photo: AFP

Durban: The forecast for Saturday says "cloudy, showers and storms." India still has a job on hands.

India needs to survive a possible 70-odd overs on the fifth day of the second Castle Test, if light continues to fade in the final session, to save the match.

Set a target of 354 — South Africa declared 47 minutes before tea at 265 for eight — India was 38 for two at stumps; a resolute Wasim Jaffer, on 22, and Sachin Tendulkar yet to open his account. The Indians face a test of character on a pitch that now sports a few visible cracks.

India has to prevent the host from making the early inroads on what could be truncated final day. Makhaya Ntini & Co. will have to be blunted.

Eventful afternoon

On an eventful afternoon, South Africa, collapsing to 143 for six, had allowed the Indians to come back.

The classy Shaun Pollock (63 not out, 99b, 10x4) proved a roadblock for the visitors.

Pollock struck the ball with languid elegance — an off-drive off Zaheer and a pull off VRV Singh that streaked through mid-on stood out — and constructed partnerships with the combative Andrew Hall and Morne Morkel, a revelation with the bat.

There is ease about Pollock's batting that is breathtaking. His brisk 70-run seventh-wicket association with Hall in 17.5 overs was particularly important for the host. The home crowd — Pollock plays for Kwazulu Natal, roared.

Pollock and the rest of the pacemen would have to quicken the over-rate on day five; the over-rates has been alarming sloppy in the Test.

Heat was on Indians

The heat was on the Indians when Wasim Jaffer and Virender Sehwag came out 37 minutes before tea. While Jaffer was compact and composed, Virender Sehwag prodded and pushed. Under pressure to retain his place, Sehwag had no choice really.

In his pomp, he would have blazed away. Now, he was short of runs and confidence, and under the scanner.

The batsman was bothered by Andre Nel. He was also in trouble against Ntini, edging him through the vacant area in the slips, before the paceman finally found the fatal edge.

Sehwag's game hinges on hand-eye coordination and reflexes, rather than footwork and technique. He does not have the technique to fall back upon on bad days.

Ntini was breathing fire, mixing up full-length delivery with well-directed short-pitched stuff. The batsmen had difficulties distinguishing the delivery angling in from the one that straightened. Ntini was, however, fortunate with his second strike.

Umpiring standards

The umpiring standards in this Test have been pretty ordinary. In the tense post-tea session, Rahul Dravid got his second rough decision of the match. He played and missed a Ntini delivery that held its line. The noise resulted from the bat brushing the pad and umpire Asad Rauf got it wrong.

The South Africans used the heavy roller in the morning. The idea was to get the cracks on the surface to widen by the time the Indians went in to bat.

South Africa, 152 ahead, required to force the pace. Interestingly, Dravid did not go on the defensive. He set attacking fields, believed India could still mount a charge for victory. He and his bowlers almost pulled it off.

Yet, it began so differently. Graeme Smith (59, 81b, 11x4) and Abraham de Villiers (47, 100b, 8x4) took the score to 99 with some crisp strokeplay. The skipper was, finally, batting with some authority.

Then V.V.S. Laxman held a low, sharp catch when VRV Singh got a delivery to bounce and leave de Villiers. Dramatic events unfolded.

Sreesanth sent down a terrific burst (7.3-2-33-3) of pace and precision; there were also clever variations of length and crease.

He opened up Hashim Amla — the batsman has problems with his stance and is resultantly not balanced — with a fuller, delivery swinging into the right-hander. The energetic paceman won a marginal leg-before decision from Rauf.

He, then, moved the ball the other way to castle the left-handed Smith. Sreesanth had brought about a quick adjustment to his line. He had also replaced his over-zealous celebration with a polite namaste.

Soon, the first innings century-maker Ashwell Prince edged a delivery angled across him from Sreesanth to Sourav Ganguly at first slip; Prince had not opened his account.

South Africa had lost four wickets in 21 balls. It got worse.

Herschelle Gibbs loves walking the tightrope. This time, he succumbed to a trap set for him. Gibbs does not quite keep his drives down occasions, and Kumble, who flighted the ball around the off-stump, had a short cover in place. Substitute Dinesh Karthik, gleefully, accepted the catch.

The host became 143 for six when Zaheer, pitched one in line, and caught Mark Boucher on the shuffle. The Indians, out of the blue, were sniffing at an opportunity. Then, Pollok spoiled their party.

SCOREBOARD

South Africa — 1st innings: 328

India — 1st innings: 240

South Africa — 2nd innings: A. B. de Villiers c Laxman b Singh 47, G. Smith b Sreesanth 58, H. Amla lbw b Sreesanth 0, H. Gibbs c sub (Karthik) b Kumble 9, A. Prince c Ganguly b Sreesanth 0, M. Boucher lbw b Zaheer Khan 8, S. Pollock not out 63, A. Hall lbw b Sreesanth 21, M. Morkel c Singh b Sehwag 27; Extras (b-5, lb-8, nb-12, w-7): 32; Total (for eight wickets decl. in 67.4 overs): 265

Fall of wickets: 1-99 (de Villiers), 2-108 (Amla), 3-121 (Smith), 4-121 (Prince), 5-140 (Gibbs), 6-143 (Boucher), 7-213 (Hall), 8-265 (Morkel).

India bowling: Zaheer 20-5-65-1, Sreesanth 19-4-79-4, Singh 10-2-64-1, Kumble 16-4-37-1, Sehwag 2.4-1-7-1

India — 2nd innings: W. Jaffer (batting) 22, V. Sehwag c Smith b Ntini 8, R. Dravid c Boucher b Ntini 5, S. Tendulkar (batting) 0; Extras (b-2, lb-1): 3; Total (for two wickets in 13 overs): 38

Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Sehwag), 2-34 (Dravid).

South Africa bowling: Nel 5-1-17-0, Ntini 6-2-14-2, Pollock 2-1-4-0.

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