Shaun Pollock made several strange decisions during the first Test but none more than opening the bowling on the final day with left-arm spinner Claude Henderson and Lance Klusener, delivering gentle offcutters from six paces. Andy Flower's ability to play himself in early, manipulate the strike, and offer material support to the lower order by hogging the strike appeared to cry out for a hard, menacing approach to the first few overs of the day.

Instead, Henderson wheeled away for an hour on a pitch offering appreciable but very slow turn, and Klusener nagged away but more often than not hit the middle of the bat. Just three wickets were required by South Africa but Pollock appeared to be ready to use as much of the final day as he needed.

There is no greater vindication of tactics than victory, of course, and victory was all that concerned Pollock, a fact that was illustrated perfectly on the second day. Having reached 600 before tea, Pollock immediately called the slaughter off and ignored the chance to put his team in the record books with a further 23 runs that would have earned a South African record total, surpassing the 622 for 9 against Bill Lawry's Australians at Durban in 1969-70.

"The only record that concerns me is the winning record," Pollock admitted afterwards. Having spent two days attempting to force the pace of victory, and being constantly and demoralisingly rebuffed by Flower, Pollock steeled his team for another day in the sun. He set his sights purely on victory, after the twin goals of winning in three days and by an innings had already been denied him.

With 27 overs to go before the third new ball was due when play began today, Pollock had to take a gamble, weighing up the risk of Flower and the tailenders playing themselves in against the risk of South Africa's strike bowlers being exhausted by the time the new ball was taken. Fortunately, Klusener's two wickets turned the gamble into a winner and the new ball was only required to remove the last man, Douglas Hondo.

Pollock is the first to admit that he is still learning the art of captaincy in just his 14th Test in charge - he has never captained regularly at first-class level. But as long as the last decision is the one that works then he is learning fast.

Neil Manthorp is a leading freelance cricket writer in South Africa

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