Cape Town, January 5:

India’s dream of an historic series win in South Africa suffered a heavy blow when they collapsed in their second innings on the fourth day of the third and final Test here today.

Needing 211 to win, South Africa were 55/2 at the close, 156 short of achieving a come-from-behind series win. Earlier, India were bowled out for 169 after Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly had seemingly batted them to a position of safety with a third wicket stand of 84.

But India lost their last eight wickets for 79 runs. South Africa are likely to be made to struggle for their runs on the final day when veteran leg-spinner Anil Kumble is expected to do much of the bowling on a pitch on which scoring has been difficult.

Kumble came into the attack in the ninth over and revived Indian hopes in the last over of the day when Hashim Amla went back on his stumps and was palpably leg before wicket to a ball that skidded through straight.

Wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik, stranded on 38, was the only batsman able to score freely on a day of attritional cricket, making his runs off 48 balls with nimble footwork and creative stroke play.

Fast bowler Dale Steyn took 4-30 but the momentum was sapped from the Indian innings by strangulation tactics similar to those employed by India the previous day when the tourists gained a 41-run lead.

Left-arm spinner Paul Harris bowled an unbroken spell of 22 overs, conceding 50 runs and claiming the wicket of Dravid, while Shaun Pollock and Jacques Kallis both troubled the batsmen with reverse swing. Smith and De Villiers started run chase confidently, putting on 36 before De Villiers was caught behind for 22.

SCOREBOARD

INDIA — 1st Innings: 414

SOUTH AFRICA — 1st Innings: 373

INDIA — 2nd Innings

W Jaffer c Villiers b Ntini 2

V Sehwag c Boucher b Steyn 4

R Dravid c & b Harris 47

S Ganguly c Gibbs b Kallis 46

S Tendulkar lbw b Pollock 14

VVS Laxman run out 1

D Karthik not out 38

A Kumble c Gibbs b Steyn 6

Z Khan run out 1

S Sreesanth c Kallis b Steyn 4

M Patel c Pollock b Steyn 0

Extras: 6 (5lb, 1nb)

Total: 169

FoW: 1-6, 2-6, 3-90, 4-114, 5-115, 6-121, 7-147, 8-165, 9-169

South Africa bowling: Ntini 8-1-29-1, Steyn 7-0-30-4, Pollock 15-5-24-1, Harris 22-6-50-1, Kallis 12-0-31-1

SOUTH AFRICA — 2nd Innings

A Villiers c Karthik b Khan 22

G Smith not out 21

H Amla lbw b Kumble 10

Extras: 2 (1b, 1nb)

Total: 55/2

FoW: 1-36, 2-55

Bowling: Khan 8-1-24-1, Sreesanth 4-0-16-0, Kumble 4.2-1.14-1