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South Africa wants a win within 50 overs

South Africa's Andrew Hall celebrates dismissing Anil Kumble for 11 runs with his first ball of the final day of the second Test between India and South Africa at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

South African wicketkeeper Mark Boucher said his team were confident that 50 overs on the final day would be enough to clinch a win in a second Test against India.

India were 38 for two, after being set 354 to win, when bad light took another huge chunk out of play on the fourth day at Kingsmead on Friday.

With another cloudy day forecast, Boucher said it was possible play would not go much beyond tea on the final day yesterday but said South Africa believed they could level the series ahead of the final Test in Cape Town next week.

"If we hit good areas and pick up one or two important wickets I believe we need 50 overs," he said.

South Africa have already dismissed two key opponents in Virender Sehwag and Indian captain Rahul Dravid.

"Viru [Sehwag] is the one batsman who can really take the attack to you and Rahul is someone who can really bat time," Boucher added.

Indian wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said the match was evenly poised.

And even though it is unlikely given the prevailing weather that there will be a full day's play, he said India could not afford to assume that there would be another early stoppage.

"We'll look to be positive," he said. "It's not about chasing the score or saving the match. We will try to bat positively until tea and see what the situation is then."

Makhaya Ntini had Sehwag dismissed before tea and then claimed the key wicket of Dravid after the interval, just eight balls before play was called off early for the fourth successive day.

There were 35 overs still due to be bowled. Ntini took two for 14.

Dravid, the victim of a dubious lbw decision in the first innings, appeared to be unlucky again.

He was drawn forward by Ntini and was given out by umpire Asad Rauf, although replays suggested his bat had made contact with his pad and not the ball.

Shaun Pollock made a stroke-filled 63 not out to enable South Africa to declare their second innings at 265 for eight, leaving India with a nominal 146 overs to make the runs or keep out the bowlers.

Given the weather pattern it was unlikely that a full day's play would be possible on the final day yesterday, when 98 overs were scheduled to be bowled.

More cloudy weather was predicted for yesterday with possible showers.

South Africa batted aggressively despite losing six wickets for 44 runs at one stage before lunch.

Pollock shared quick-scoring half-century stands with Andrew Hall and Morne Morkel as South Africa recovered from a top order collapse.

Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, India's exciting young fast bowler, took three of the wickets as South Africa fell from 99 for no wicket to 143 for six.

Sreesanth finished with four for 79, taking his tally for the series to 16.

V.R.V. Singh made the first breakthrough, dismissing A.B. de Villiers for 47, before Sreesanth, 23, took three wickets in eight balls to plunge the home team into trouble.

One of Sreesanth's victims was South African captain Graeme Smith, who emerged from a batting slump to make 58.

Pollock regained the initiative for South Africa in a 99-ball innings, which included 10 fours.
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