EAST LONDON (South Africa), Oct 20: South Africa gained revenge for their defeat by India last week with an emphatic 46-run win in their one-day match at Buffalo Park Friday (partly reported in Saturday’s edition).

After South Africa won the toss and posted 282 for four from their 50 overs, India could manage only 236 all out despite a superb start to their reply by Saurav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar.

The result confirmed South Africa’s place in the final of the triangular tournament, while India have to beat Kenya in Paarl Wednesday to ensure their participation.

India’s run chase was led by Ganguly, who struck a sparkling 85 and shared 101 for the first wicket with Tendulkar.

The India captain hit four sixes in total, twice marching down the wicket to drive fast bowler Shaun Pollock over the boundary.

The partnership was broken in the 16th over when Tendulkar (37) was bowled by Jacques Kallis and Shiv Sunder Das (two) was run out shortly afterwards.

When Ganguly was the third to depart, superbly caught by Kallis just inside the ropes at long-on, it signalled an the start of Indian collapse.

Only Rahul Dravid stood firm, finishing unbeaten on 71 as Andre Nel ran through the tail with three wickets.

Pollock said South Africa’s win was a good confidence boost ahead of next week’s final.

“I thought we played well,” Pollock said. “It was a good deck and the guys got us off to a fast start which was great.

“We knew when we went out to bowl that it was going to be difficult because it was such a good track and we were trying to put pressure on up front but Ganguly and Tendulkar played really well.”

Pollock was particularly happy with an improved fielding display from his side, three run outs doing as much as anything to put the Indian reply under pressure.

“Our fielding’s been a little bit average in the last few games. We try to set ourselves high standards and we felt that we could improve.

“Tonight was a lot better — three runs outs obviously means we’re fielding well and I thought our catching was good too,” Pollock said.

Pollock’s opposite number Ganguly was left to reflect on the fact India were very much in the match before he was third out for a swashbuckling 85.

“I got out at a bad time and probably should have carried on,” Ganguly said. “But even after that we were in the game but we kept losing wickets at regular intervals.”

He also had some harsh words about the poor running between the wickets which cost his side so dearly.

“Two of the run outs were the result of poor, poor judgement. If you have to teach these things at this level of the game you are asking for trouble,” he added. “We are playing international cricket, not provincial cricket.”