CENTURION (South Africa), Nov 27: South Africa swept to victory over India by an innings and 73 runs on the fifth and last day of the unofficial Test Tuesday.

India, 334 behind on first innings, were dismissed 15 balls after lunch for 261 in their second innings, pace trio Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini and Mornantau Hayward taking two wickets each.

The match ended at the fall of the eighth wicket because Venkatash Prasad, who had a stiff neck, and Javagal Srinath, who broke a finger while batting in the first innings, did not bat again.

India, 118 for two overnight, scored 141 in the morning session but sacrificed five wickets in the process.

They lost their third wicket to the 12th ball of the day when Rahul Dravid was bowled for 23 by Hayward.

Dravid hit Hayward for three consecutive fours before attempting to work a ball pitched on middle stump to the leg side. The delivery straightened after pitching and hit the top of off stump.

India should have been 150 for four when Tendulkar, on 16, sent a looping catch off the splice of his bat to Gary Kirsten in the gully off pace bowler Jacques Kallis.

However, Kirsten spilt what should have been a comfortable, head high catch.

But the blunder did not prove expensive as Tendulkar shouldered arms to an inswinger from Ntini and was bowled to end a fourth wicket stand of 58 with Vangipurappu Laxman.

Ntini struck again when Laxman slapped a delivery to Herschelle Gibbs at point to be dismissed for 23.

Anil Kumble scored eight before edging a ball from Pollock to Nicky Boje at first slip to reduce India to 212 for six.

Dasgupta and Harbhajan Singh added 47 for the seventh wicket, a stand that ended with what became the last ball before lunch. Harbhajan gloved it down the leg side to be caught by wicketkeeper Mark Boucher for 30, earning Hayward his second wicket.

India went to lunch on 259 for seven, and the match ended when Kallis trapped Deep Dasgupta in front for 27 with a delivery that failed to get up.

The match, the third and last of the series, was stripped of its Test status by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after ICC-appointed match referee Mike Denness was ousted by South African officials.

South Africa had bowed to pressure from India after Denness imposed penalties on six Indian players, including Sachin Tendulkar, in the drawn second Test.