BELFAST, June 26: South Africa captain Jacques Kallis's unbeaten 91 saw his side to a four-wicket win against India with three balls to spare in the first of three One-day Internationals at Stormont here Tuesday.
Vernon Philander, who struck Yuvraj Singh for the winning boundary, was 17 not out.
India's total of 242 for eight was built around a third wicket stand of 158 between Sachin Tendulkar (99) and Rahul Dravid (74).
Tendulkar's innings left him just 50 shy of becoming the first batsman to score 15,000 One-day International runs.
But after he ran himself out going for an ill-judged second, India lost wickets in quick succession with fast bowler Andre Nel taking three for 47.
The second match in this series takes place at Stormont here on Friday with the last two days later.
Scoreboard
INDIA:
S.C. Ganguly c Boucher b Nel 13
S.R. Tendulkar run out 99
G. Gambhir c Kallis b Nel 0
R. Dravid b Nel 74
Yuvraj Singh c Kallis b Hall 13
K.D. Karthik b Hall 19
R.P. Sharma b Kallis 8
Piyush Chawla not out 2
R.R. Powar c de Villiers b Kallis 1
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-2, W-5, NB-2) 13
TOTAL (for eight wkts, 50 overs) 242
FALL OF WKTS: 1-24, 2-36, 3-194, 4-211, 5-213, 6-234, 7-240, 8-242.
DID NOT BAT: Zaheer Khan, R.P. Singh.
BOWLING: Ntini 10-2-33-0; Langeveldt 8-0-59-0 (1nb, 1w); Nel 10-1-47-3 (2w); Hall 10-1-40-2; Philander 8-2-37-0; Kallis 4-0-20-2 (2w).
SOUTH AFRICA:
A.B. de Villiers c Karthik b R.P. Singh 24
M.N. van Wyk c Sharma b Chawla 44
J.H. Kallis not out 91
H.H. Gibbs b Chawla 5
J.P. Duminy c Tendulkar b Powar 11
M.V. Boucher lbw b Zaheer 23
A.J. Hall c Dravid b Chawla 16
V.D. Philander not out 17
EXTRAS (LB-4, W-10) 14
TOTAL (for six wkts, 49.3 overs) 245
FALL OF WKTS: 1-56, 2-99, 3-107, 4-124, 5-165, 6-190.