David's battle against Goliath is one of the most enjoyable stories in the Holy Bible. Clever, resourceful little David outwitting big, hardly cerebral, Goliath. If only professional sport had more such stories ... today an unrelenting South African Goliath paid no respect to the Biblical script and crushed the Kenyan David. The wickets South Africa lost chasing a tiny target were more a result of over-confidence on the batsmen's part than any menace from the Kenyan bowlers. Towards the end, especially with Jacques Kallis at the crease, it was like watching an impatient diner swatting away an over-eager mosquito.

David had his moments today, mostly when Steve Tikolo was at the crease. Tikolo is a giant in a team composed largely of pygmies. If you watch him without looking too hard you could persuade yourself that Viv Richards was out there batting once again. The physical resemblance is striking, as is the manner in which he plays his strokes. Like Sir Viv, Tikolo just muscles the ball to the boundary.

Today, his team-mates let him down by paying the South Africans far too much respect early on. Tikolo's belligerence was just what a marooned innings needed, though a one-man show was never going to give Pollock's team much of a fright.

Thomas Odoyo was just as pugnacious with the ball. His action is ... well, let's be generous and say that it's far from classical. But he generates some pace, and his two early wickets gave the Kenyans at least an illusory glimpse of an upset. Trust Jacques Kallis to come in and play the party-pooper.

Sandeep Patil, the Kenyan coach, was quoted as saying that his players were "here for the experience". At this rate, it's going to be a very sobering one. Mind you, the way India bowled in Johannesburg, Mr. Tikolo will be licking his chops in anticipation. One thing's for sure. David needs some more spring in the catapult before the next game. Today, the stones hurt South Africa about as much as powder puffs.

Dileep Premachandran is assistant editor of Wisden.com India.

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