Date-stamped : 03 Nov93 - 05:16 South Africa vs India 4th One Day Internationals. 4th ODI played at Wanderers (Johannesburg , South Africa) on 11 December 1992 was postened to 12 December 1992. South African captain won the toss and elected to field. Match Adjudicator : Clive Lloyd Umpires : 1. Cyril Mitchley 2. Carl Liebenberg South Africa win by 6 wickets. India 161 / 9 after 50 overs. South Africa 165 / 4 after 48.2 overs It was another cool and overcast day, unlike the day before when the day's play was washed out due to rain. The start of play was delayed by an hour to allow the ground to drain, especially the bowlers run, which was very soggy. Around the table sawdust was laid in huge patches, making it very difficult to field. The wicket itself had some bounce, but the outfield was very wet. With a heavy outfield, and due in the night, the ball was going to always be wet and difficult to handle. Attendance : 30 000 Capacity : 30 000 With the match starting 25 hours later, Donald and De Villiers troubled the batsman continously in the first 10 overs, especial- ly De Villiers who beat Jadeja with all 6 balls in the 8th over. With India losing two quick wickets (Raman and Amre) Jadeja and Azharuddin, got together and began to stabilise the innings. Fi- nally getting his batting to click, Azharuddin played strokes all around the wicket and showed that he is not a predominantly leg side player, by playing on the front foot in front of the wicket on the off side. With the Indian nothing to write home about, the RSA bowlers helped the Indians by bowling wides galore (this could be because of the wet conditions underfoot). The one big question that will go unanswered is what will have happened if De Villiers had been allowed to continue for an over or two after his allotted first five overs, this because he was continually beating the batsman in conditions which suited him. As it is, both McMillan and Matthews (replacing Donald and De Villiers) struggled to find their line and length. Once again the fielding was brilliant with Cronje stopping definite fours on the boundary and restricting the Indian's to 2 runs. South Africa got off to a good start, but got into problems when the spinners were introduced into the attack, (Kumble taking Hudson's wicket with the third ball he delivered). The South African's then got bogged after some fine spin bowling from Kum- ble and Shastri. Kumble was then removed from the the attack and the South African's were able to breath easier. With Indian's de- fending a small and the South African's always looking like reaching the total, it must be wondered why, Azharuddin did not block the ones by placing more fielders in the inner circle, for with some excellent running between Rhodes and Callaghan and Rhodes and Cronje, the South African's were able to pressurise the fielders and turned some of the ones into two. Now if there were more fielders in the inner circle, the South African's would have had to hit over the top, and this would have resulted in more chances rather than what Rhodes and Co. did so well taking the singles. Callaghan's run out was his first dismall in four starts and the run out was brilliant. A brilliant throw from Jadeja fielding at backward point dislogding the bails micro seconds before Callaghan made his crease (in the end he was about 5-10cm short). With this being an exhilirating match for the spectators, Jonty Rhodes ended it with style, with a loftet six over long off. With the South African's getting into the run chase at the end, Kumble had his worst over in all matches played so far when in the 46th over, Cronje sent him fine down to third man, with Cronje and Rhodes running an excellent 3. Rhodes then hit him for four past cover point stole a run from the next ball, 8 from 3 balls. Cronje then played one to a fielder in the covers and 2 runs were stolen from the next two balls to leave Kumble with his worst figures of the series. I just hope that, Rhodes and Co. learn from this experience and start using their feet against the Indian bowlers rather than going onto the back foot and getting into trouble. HISTORICAL EVENTS 1. Kumble's 7 (not out) was his highest score in ODI's (previous best being 7 at the 2nd ODI in Port Elizabeth). With thanks to Peter Rosendorff (bpeter@*usc.edu) A mammoth Feroz Khan report :-) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)