South Africa have the edge in poised encounter

One can view it as either India squandering a golden opportunity to seize the high ground or as an illustration of South Africa's bounce-back-ability as the scales tilted in an absorbing contest at Newlands. Set a target of 211, South Africa ended the fourth day on 55 for 2 and were favourites to complete a famous comeback-from-behind series triumph. It's likely to be a fight to the finish, on a tricky fifth-day pitch against high-quality spin, but South Africa will probably be the side that sleeps calmer tonight.

India will blame themselves for turning a potentially matchwinning position to one of catch-up. Having begun in upbeat fashion, thanks to a 84-run stand between Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, they froze, crawling through the second session against a bowling attack that stuck to a plan. A couple of wickets at the end of the day, including Hashim Amla falling at the stroke of stumps, provided them with a chance but it would require an inspired bowling effort to sneak the match from here on.

Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers kickstarted the chase with 36 in 9.2 overs with the latter taking the attack to Anil Kumble. India's body language was relatively flat but two late strikes, one apiece from Zaheer Khan and Kumble, gave them a lift. de Villiers's loose drive induced the edge while Amla missed a flipper as he was rooted to the back foot. It gave India something to cheer at the end of an attritional day but they will feel things could have been far rosier.

Ganguly and Dravid put India's innings on track either side of the lunch break - coming together at a perilous 6 for 2, with both openers falling to the new ball, they blunted the new-ball threat and put India's innings back on track. Ganguly entered at No.4 amid confusion but didn't appear a least bit flustered. He was lucky to not be out first ball - an airy waft to a short one outside off sped away through the slip cordon - but he was soon driving gorgeously through the off side. At the other end, Dravid survived some tricky moments early on but was soon getting fully forward or fully back, carving five fours in the period and rotated strike to make sure South Africa were unsettled by the left-right combination.

Ganguly's dismissal proved vital, setting off a period when the run-rate turned excruciatingly slow. Dravid and Tendulkar endured a painstaking 15.1 overs for only 24 runs, a period when Harris wheeled away over the wicket and into the rough, and Pollock probed outside off. Run-scoring was definitely not easy but it was baffling to see the duo not attempt to keep the scoreboard ticking. Tendulkar endured a 62-ball struggle in a scratchy 14. He didn't try to take the attack to the spinner, surviving a few edgy moments against him, and never attempted to dominate.

Three quicks wickets fell before tea, including VVS Laxman's dismissal to a misjudged second run and Tendulkar at the stroke of tea, and India were digging themselves deeper into a mess. The runs hadn't come, the wickets were falling and the momentum had well and truly shifted. South Africa's bowlers had executed their plans to a tee and tightened the noose with sensible lines.

It was only because of Dinesh Karthik's lively 38 that India moved into a position of respectability. From the depths of 121 for 6, Karthik cracked six delightful fours, using twinkling footwork and text-book technique, and sparking hopes, even if momentarily, of a revival. He soon ran out of partners, though - Kumble couldn't handle the steepling bounce, Zaheer Khan turned blind for a second run, and Munaf Patel spooned the simplest of catches to mid-off, in what was, unfortunately, the seventh ball of the over. It summed up the day - one of confusion, recklessness and South African verve.

Short cuts
Dileep Premachandran in Cape Town

Highlight of the day: Sourav Ganguly came in and played a composed knock with India's second innings in disarrary, and the threat of a batsman being timed out. By lunch, Ganguly and Rahul Dravid had put India in command, only for some inexplicably poor batting to open the door for South Africa after the interval.

Lowlight of the day: Poor umpiring decisions have played a significant part in this series, but you'd at least expect Elite Panel umpires to be able to count. When Dale Steyn had Sreesanth caught at second slip, six balls were up. But Asad Rauf appeared to be so caught up in the moment that he allowed Steyn another go. And that was all he needed to get rid of Munaf Patel, leaving Dinesh Karthik stranded on 38.

Shot of the day: Karthik sweeping Paul Harris from out of the rough for three runs. While his more illustrious colleagues showed no initiative whatsoever, Karthik showed what might have been if the big names had brought their big games with them to the crease.

Ball of the day: An absolute brute from Makhaya Ntini that lifted and jagged back to take Wasim Jaffer's glove. He didn't have a big part to play thereafter, but the dismissal of the first-innings centurion was a telling moment.

Catch of the day: Jacques Kallis moved adroitly to his left to pouch a low edge from Sreesanth. The batsman hung around a while, but there was no doubt that Kallis had taken another excellent low catch.

Message of the day: He may have more than 400 Test wickets, but Shaun Pollock still remains the most humble of foot soldiers despite having once been the general. When he dragged one down the leg side, allowing Karthik to tickle it down to fine leg for four, he turned back to his mark and mumbled, "Sorry, skip." With that kind of attitude, it's no wonder he's achieved so much.

Off the park: The confusion after Jaffer's dismissal was comical and farcical all at once. Tendulkar was all set to come out, but it was only the ball before Jaffer's exit that the fourth umpire bothered to inform the Indians that he couldn't. During this game, the stump microphones noises have been filtered into the press box. Many journalists would have given a lot to have a similar set-up within the Indian dressing room - especially once the batting imploded in the afternoon.