Close South Africa 282 for 4 (Dippenaar 81) beat India 236 all out (Ganguly 85, Dravid 71*) Scorecard

India proved yet again that they're a top-heavy team, slumping to a 46-run defeat against South Africa at Buffalo Park in East London. Once the decisive blows -- the dismissals of Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly -- were administered, the rest of the team were knocked over as easily as crumbling bricks in the path of a wrecking ball.

Tendulkar and Ganguly had batted quite beautifully to blunt the South African pace attack. Andre Nel had started with snarling menace, and a word or two to Ganguly, but was soon put in his place by some scintillating strokeplay. Tendulkar played some gorgeous strokes off the back foot through the off side while Ganguly went after Shaun Pollock, smacking him for big sixes over cover.

They had just brought up a century stand (equalling 15 recorded by Greenidge and Haynes) when Jacques Kallis struck the first blow. Tendulkar attempted a pull but the ball caught the bottom edge of the bat and cannoned into the stumps. Shiv Sunder Das followed almost immediately, caught out of his ground by Andre Nel's powerful throw from third man. To be fair to him, it was at Ganguly's urging -- after a misfield by Nel -- that he went for an improbable second run.

As Ganguly carried on with his onslaught, the South Africans came around the wicket to deny him room to free his arms. But it was the introduction of Nicky Boje which proved to be his downfall, a well-struck lofted on drive superbly caught by Kallis just inside the rope.

Thereafter, South Africa took control as India wilted. Yuvraj Singh was trapped plumb in front by Lance Klusener bowling around the wicket and then Virender Sehwag drove one straight to Boje at mid-off.

Ajit Agarkar threw his bat around for 16 before a bad call from Dravid saw both batsmen stranded in the middle even as Gibbs' throw from midwicket reached Boucher. Agarkar made sure he crossed to save his more experienced colleague. Deep Dasgupta's dismissal was laziness personified; as he ambled through for a single, Pollock's direct hit from cover left him a few inches short of safety.

Andre Nel, who copped some stick early in the innings, came back strongly, bowling fast and straight to wrap up the tail. Dravid was unbeaten on 71 at the end, but it was an innings that rarely threatened to lead India home.

South Africa's daunting score was built around a superb innings from Boeta Dippenaar and a late flourish from Jonty Rhodes and Klusener. Gibbs had given the crowd an early fireworks show, blazing his way to 47 before gifting a catch to Sehwag at midwicket off Agarkar. The Indian pace bowlers came in for a fearful pounding in the early overs as the run rate hovered around seven an over. Nicky Boje, promoted to pinch hitter, made a quickfire 18 before falling to a poor call from Dippenaar.

Kallis was his assured self, even though the innings lost a little of its momentum once the spinners came on. Harbhajan Singh was outstanding even though he went wicketless. Both Dippenaar and Kallis had problems picking him and the left-arm spin of Yuvraj Singh also kept the run-rate in check. Kallis was finally dismissed for 49, a lobbed catch to Ganguly after Srinath had bowled a delivery two yards outside the leg stump.

Dippenaar went soon after, lbw to Srinath going for the pull shot, but that was just the trigger for Rhodes and Klusener to go berserk in the final stages. Rhodes scampered between the wickets and played all the unorthodox shots that he's renowned for, while Klusener stood his ground and did his blacksmith-and-anvil act to tremendous effect. In the final analysis, it was this final flurry that took the game away from India.

South Africa are through to the final while India are left to ponder another miserable display from their middle and lower order. The belly looks awfully soft and Kenya will be eyeing that solar plexus keenly next Wednesday.

India 1 Sourav Ganguly (captain), 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Rahul Dravid, 4 Shiv Sunder Das , 5 Yuvraj Singh, 6 Virender Sehwag, 7 Deep Dasgupta (wk), 8 Ajit Agarkar, 9 Anil Kumble, 10 Harbhajan Singh, 11 Javagal Srinath

South Africa 1 Boeta Dippenaar,2 Herschelle Gibbs, 3 Jacques Kallis, 4 Neil McKenzie, 5 Jonty Rhodes, 6 Lance Klusener, 7 Shaun Pollock (capt), 8 Mark Boucher (wk), 9 Nicky Boje, 10 Andre Nel, 11 Makhaya Ntini

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