PORT ELIZABETH, Nov 30: South Africa's fast bowlers again exposed the frailties of the Indian batting as South Africa won the fourth one-day international by 80 runs at St George's Park Wednesday.
Despite making another poor start, South Africa recovered to make 243 for eight before sweeping the Indians aside for 163.
Herschelle Gibbs, caught off a no-ball when he had two, made 93 not out to anchor the South African innings.
India made a promising start, with Wassim Jaffer and stand-in captain Virender Sehwag putting on 23 before Jaffer was caught at slip off Makhaya Ntini in the sixth over.
Within the next four overs, the match was effectively over as a contest with Sachin Tendulkar and Sehwag, the side's most senior batsmen, falling to Shaun Pollock and Ntini respectively.
Mohammad Kaif was run out and Mahendra Dhoni played one extravagant shot too many as India slumped to 82 for five on a ground where batting is generally more difficult for the side batting second under floodlights.
Left-handed all-rounder Irfan Pathan was defiant to the end, making 47 not out to give the total some respectability.
Justin Kemp took three wickets and Pollock and Ntini two each as South Africa took a winning 3-0 lead in the five-match series. The first match was rained out.
The sides meet in a Twenty20 international in Johannesburg Friday before the fifth and final One-day International in Centurion on Sunday.
Scoreboard
SOUTH AFRICA
G.C. Smith lbw b Zaheer 0
L.L. Bosman b Sreesanth 0
J.H. Kallis c Dhoni b Kumble 49
H.H. Gibbs not out 93
A.B. de Villiers lbw b Kumble 13
M.V. Boucher lbw b Sehwag 29
J.M. Kemp c Sehwag b Tendulkar 0
S.M. Pollock run out (Kumble) 37
A.J. Hall run out (Karthik) 13
A. Nel not out 0
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-4, NB-2,W-2) 9
TOTAL (8 wkts, 50 overs) 243
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-0, 2-6, 3-75, 4-93, 5-154, 6-155, 7-216, 8-240