Date-stamped : 25 Aug94 - 22:28
 Fourth test : India v South Africa 

 Played at Cape Town from 2nd to 6th Jan 1993 

South Africa gave a first Test cap to Cullinan; India brought
back Srinath and had a new opening pair in Jadeaja and Prabha-
kar. Neither Shastri nor Raman was fully fit. Indeed, Shastri 
had struggled throughout the series and underwent a knee oper-
ation as the tour ended.
 Not for the first time in the series, the opening day of the
Test promised an excitement that was ultimately to be denied.
Prabhakar bowled Wessels with an in-swinger on the third 
delivery of the match, and it was 25 mins before South Africa
scored a run. Srinath, who bowled well and at a lively pace, 
took a return catch low down to account for Hudson, and Kumble
had Crojne taken bat and pad. Kirsten did nothing to improve
on a miserable series when he edged Kapil Dev to the keeper, 
and it was left to Cullinan and Rhodes to restore order to the
South African innings.
 Rhodes struggled painfully against the spinners, but he surv-
ived to add 99 with the impressive Cullinan, who was finally 
caught head high at mid-on. South Africa closed on 189 for 5
from 93 overs. A familiar pattern had begun to emerge.
 The pattern became more deeply engraved on a second day 
which eventually killed the match. South Africa crawled to 
360 for 9 before Wessels declared with 35 minutes of the day 
remaining. McMillan hit 52 in 69 overs and Rhodes if uncertain,
at least suggested entertainment with his 86 in 4 3/4 hours.
India spilled their usual quota of catches, and the grimmest 
of days ended with the visitors on 13 for 0.
 On the third day, India scored 148 runs in six hours. Prabha-
kar occupied 5 1/2 hours for his 62 as Azharuddin and his side
obviously lost all interest in winning the match. Five wickets
fell and India were 161 from 97 overs. There was no greater 
urgency on the fourth day when the Indians took their score to
276, from 151 overs, and Srinath took two wickets in South 
Africa's second innings as 48 runs were scored. More held the
catches to dismiss Hudson and Crojne, but he also dropped 
Wessels off Kapil Dev. 
 The agony meandered to its inevitable end. It was a game tota-
lly lacking urgency and imaginative or positive leadership - a
travesty of cricket, and a total condemnation of what passes 
for Test cricket. Srinath, a bowler of life and enthusiasm, 
earned the individual reward. 
 So ended the friendship series. It was, in the main, a dreadful
affair in which runs came at an average of less than two an over.
South Africa won this historic series, but it was one which 
alienated thousands of South Africans from Test cricket and 
turned them more and more towards the one-day game.
 
Thanks to Benson and Hedges 'Cricket Year'
 
<END> Contributed by nayak  (adiking@*bradley.edu)