Munaf guides India

Patel guides India to unlikely win

Munaf Patel spoiled Graeme Smith's big day as India sealed an unlikely one-run win over South Africa in the second one-day international at the Wanderers.

On the day he became his nation's most capped one-day skipper, Smith's 77 appeared to have put the Proteas on track for victory as they looked to chase down India's modest total of 190 all out.

But the hosts collapsed, bowled out for 189 to allow India to level the series, as Patel removed Smith and snared three further wickets, emulating Lonwabo Tsotsobe who earlier took a career-best four for 22 in a devastating spell of limited-overs bowling.

After Patel (four for 29) removed Hashim Amla early, Smith dispatched him for successive boundaries as a partnership of 59 with Colin Ingram put the hosts on track.

Ingram lifted Ashish Nehra for six, but was lbw to Harbhajan Singh soon after and AB de Villiers followed when he edged Nehra to Dhoni.

Smith took the limelight as he went past 6,000 runs in ODIs - the fourth South African to do so - with a boundary off Nehra in the 20th over, then reached 50 with a push into the on side.

He lost JP Duminy to a slog off Rohit Sharma, but was happy to hand the aggressor's role over to David Miller, who drove the same bowler for six and then hit Harbhajan for four.

Smith departed for 77 when he played on to Patel, cutting a disappointed figure as he trudged off having no doubt been hoping to see his side home.

With only another 39 needed and five wickets remaining, the hard work should have been done but Miller top-edged a pull shot straight to fine leg for 27 off 28 balls and Johan Botha was extraordinarily adjudged lbw to Zaheer Khan even though the ball never touched the pad.

Dale Steyn was carelessly run out leaving them needing 14 with two wickets in hand, and they were oh so close before Patel removed Morne Morkel and Wayne Parnell, who hung his head in disbelief after slashing the ball straight to Yuvraj Singh at backward point.

Munaf guides India tomorrow one-wicket win in 2nd ODI

Munaf Patel led India's stunning comeback as the visitors eked out a narrow one-run win over South Africa in a nail-biting finish in the second one-day international match, here today.

After being bowled out for 190, India restricted South Africa to 189, thanks largely to Munaf's four wickets that also included the important scalps of dangerman Hashim Amla and Graeme Smith.

Munaf, who picked up four for 29 runs, combined with spearhead Zaheer Khan who accounted for two dismissals, to script a historic win at the New Wanderers Stadium where fortunes ebbed and flowed throughout the South African innings.

It could have been anybody's game till Munaf had Wayne Parnell caught at point by Yuvraj Singh to signal the end of a dramatic match in the 43rd over.

Zaheer, too, played his part picking up the wickets of David Miller and Johan Botha at crucial junctures.

Chasing 190 for a win, Smith led from the front scoring a fluent 77 off 98 balls. The skipper's knock was laced with eight hits to the fence.

But despite a dominating performance by their Smith, South Africa lost the plot after his dismissal, and the lower order buckled under the intense pressure created by the Indian bowlers.

The duo of Munaf and Zaheer brought India back into the match by dismissing Smith, Miller and Botha in quick succession, leaving the hosts in a spot of bother.

India had nothing to lose after the hosts led by Lonwabo Tsotsobe's inspired effort, bowled the visitors out for a paltry total after Mahendra Singh Dhoni decided to bat first.

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