ADDING TO THE AGONY: With wickets falling at regular intervals and runs hard to come by, V.V.S. Laxman's run out was the last thing India wanted. — PHOTO: AFP

Cape Town: After the Indian batsmen seemed to be seized by the fear of winning, the bowlers struck in the last session. The third Castle Test is intriguingly poised.

South Africa, pursuing, 211 for a series clinching victory, was 55 for two at stumps. Much hinges on skipper Graeme Smith (21 batting) for the host on an increasingly wearing wicket.

Zaheer Khan, after Dravid switched him to the far end, got one to seam away from Abraham de Villiers to have him caught behind. Then, Hashim Amla committed the folly of playing back to Anil Kumble. The leg-spinner is getting more purchase in the second innings.

There is a 30 per cent chance of rain on Saturday. The forecast also says `cloudy conditions.'

Ordinary umpiring marred fourth day's play. Sachin Tendulkar was adjudged leg before to Shaun Pollock — in the context of the match this was a big wicket — when the ball was missing leg-stump. Last man Munaf Patel was dismissed off the seventh ball of a Dale Steyn over. Umpire Asad Rauf erred on both occasions.

Senseless running

Senseless running between the wickets also dented India's chances. V.V.S. Laxman, pushed by Tendulkar for a second run, was caught short when Pollock fired in a throw from deep square-leg to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher. In a Test on the boil, this was a needless risk.

The second run out was shocking. Even as Dinesh Karthik completed the first run, he signalled at Zaheer Khan not to take off for a second. Zaheer still charged down the track and could not beat the throw to Boucher.

The Indian think-tank blundered by sending Virender Sehwag as opener.

The selection of Sehwag in the eleven, in the first place, could only be justified as a hard-hitting late middle order batsman who could chip in with off-spin.

With his confidence low, this was a doomed ploy. Jaffer and Karthik had provided the side a solid platform for a 400-plus score in the first innings, seeing off the early overs from the Kookaburra ball.

In the second, Sehwag, flashing at Steyn, opened the Indian sluice gates. South Africans are invariably dangerous if they pick an early wicket.

The quick-footed Karthik's technical excellence later in the day showed up what a folly the Indian move was. He has the heart of a champion, and he drove, cut and swept (even reverse swept) without appearing to take risks. Even as Karthik attacked, his defence was secure. Eventually, Karthik (38 not out, 48b, 6x4) was left stranded with Steyn's air speed and bounce accounting for the tail.

Tendulkar, and to a lesser extent, Rahul Dravid, allowed the South Africans to dominate after the third wicket partnership of 88 in 29.2 overs between the Indian captain and Sourav Ganguly. Tendulkar consumed 62 balls for his 14, Dravid slipped into a defensive mode and the innings lost momentum as Harris spun them from one end and the admirable Pollock pegged away from the other.

Left-arm spinner Paul Harris turned the ball from over the wicket — fingers spinners who can impart greater rip on the ball have been more effective on the surface — but apart from Ganguly and Karthik, the Indians made a heavy weather of his bowling.

Misjudge

Earlier, Jaffer misjudged the natural angle of an Ntini delivery — given his wide of the crease release even a short-pitched ball often darts into the right-hander — and his bat should have not have been close to his shoulder.

Ganguly deserves much credit for retaining his focus after the dramatic events that preceded his arrival. His start was a touch tentative — the left-hander was almost held at the slip and received a painful blow on the hand by an Ntini lifter — but opened out to essay some glorious strokes through point and cover. When Ntini dug in again, he pulled.Given his sense of timing, Ganguly made batting appear easy.

Decisive footwork

Dravid handled the pacemen with confidence and decisive footwork. The right-left pair also disrupted the rhythm of the South African bowling.

Just when India seemed to be batting South Africa out of the contest, Ganguly (46, 89b, 5x4) opened the face of the blade to be picked up square off the wicket off Jacques Kallis. Dravid (47, 134b, 5x4) scooped one back to Harris.

SCOREBOARD

SCOREBOARD India _ 1st innings: 414.

South Africa _ 1st innings: 373.

India _ 2nd innings: W. Jaffer c de Villiers b Ntini 2, V. Sehwag c Boucher b Steyn 4, R. Dravid c & b Harris 47, S. Ganguly c Gibbs b Kallis 46, S. Tendulkar lbw b Pollock 14, V.V.S. Laxman (run out) 1, D. Karthik (not out) 38, A. Kumble c Gibbs b Steyn 6, Zaheer Khan (run out) 1, S. Sreesanth c Kallis b Steyn 4, M. Patel c Pollock b Steyn 0, Extras (lb-5, nb-1) 6; Total (in 64 overs) 169.

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-6, 3-90, 4-114, 5-115, 6-121, 7-147, 8- 165, 9-169.

South Africa bowling: Ntini 8-1-29-1, Steyn 7-0-30-4, Pollock 15-5-24-1, Harris 22-6-50-1, Kallis 12-0-31-1.

South Africa _ 2nd innings: A.B. de Villiers c Karthik b Khan 22, G. Smith (batting) 21, H. Amla lbw b Kumble 10, Extras (b-1, nb-1) 2; Total (for two wkts. in 16.2 overs) 55.

Fall of wickets: 1-36, 2-55. India bowling: Zaheer 8-1- 24-1, Sreesanth 4-0-16-0, Kumble 4.2-1-14-1.

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