CAPE TOWN — Seamer Vernon Philander took career-best figures as rampant South Africa claimed a 72-run victory over India on a gripping fourth day of the first Test Monday. Set 208 for victory, India was skittled out for 135 in 42.4 overs in its second innings on a lively wicket with Philander the chief destroyer, recording figures of 6-42. India had looked to seize control of the Test when it bowled South Africa out for 130 in the morning session, but found the home attack on the seamer-friendly wicket too much of a challenge. I was nervous we did not have enough runs, South Africa captain Faf du Plessis told reporters. I knew the new ball would be key for us, if we could strike early we believed we could get through their batting line-up. But I came in this morning hoping to get a 350 lead and bowl at them tonight, so obviously that did not go to plan. After day three had been a washout, 18 wickets fell in 64 overs Monday, all going to seamers. South Africa resumed on 65 for two, but was only able to double its score before it lost its last eight wickets. Mohammed Shami (3-28) and debutant Jasprit Bumrah (3-39) were the pick of the Indian bowlers. Only an attacking 35 from AB De Villiers stemmed the tide to a degree before he was the last man out. South Africa, without injured seamer Dale Steyn who will miss the rest of the series with a heel problem, weathered a first-wicket stand of 30 for India in reply. Shikhar Dhawan (16) was out first as he sparred a rising deliver from Morne Morkel (2-39) to gully. Philander picked up his first wicket as fellow opener Murali Vijay (13) edged to third slip. Cheteshwar Pujara (four) became Morkel's second victim with the score on 39, before Indian captain Virat Kohli (28) took the attack to the South Africans. He was undone playing across a straight delivery from Philander. Rohit Sharma (10) was bowled off the inside edge by Philander before the tourists' first-innings hero Hardik Pandya edged Kagiso Rabada to De Villiers in the slips. Rabada claimed the wicket of Wriddhiman Saha (eight) with the last ball before tea. Philander then took three wickets in four balls to seal victory after a seventh-wicket stand of 49 between top-scorer Ravichandran Ashwin (37) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (13 not out) had briefly sent jitters through the Newlands crowd. We were in the game for the three days and it was a wonderful match to be part of, Kohli said. But we need to rectify our mistakes... the mindset really matters when you travel away from home. South Africa is hosting India in a three-Test series this month, with matches to come in Pretoria, starting Saturday, and Johannesburg. — Reuters

Scoreboard

South Africa (1st innings) 286 India (1st innings) 209 South Africa (2nd innings) A. Markram c Kumar b Pandya 34 D. Elgar c Saha b Pandya 25 K. Rabada c Kohli b Shami 05 H. Amla c Sharma b Shami 04 A. de Villiers c Kumar b Bumrah 35 F. du Plessis c Saha b Bumrah 00 Q. de Kock c Saha b Bumrah 08 V. Philander lbw b Shami 00 K. Maharaj c Saha b Kumar 15 M. Morkel c Saha b Kumar 02 D. Steyn not out 00 Extras (w2) 02 Total (41.2 overs) 130 Falls: 1-52 (Markram), 2-59 (Elgar), 3-66 (Amla), 4-73 (Rabada), 5-82 (Du Plessis), 6-92 (De Kock), 7-95 (Philander), 8-122 (Maharaj), 9-130 (Morkel). Bowling: Kumar 11-5-33-2 (2w), Bumrah 11.2-1-39-3, Mohammed Shami 12-3-28-2, Pandya 6-0-27-2, Ashwin 1-0-3-0. India (2nd innings) M. Vijay c De Villiers b Philander 13 S. Dhawan c sub (Morris) b Morkel 16 C. Pujara c De Kock b Morkel 4 V. Kohli lbw b Philander 28 R. Sharma b Philander 10 W. Saha lbw b Rabada 08 H. Pandya c De Villiers b Rabada 01 R. Ashwin c De Kock b Philander 37 B. Kumar not out 13 M. Shami c Du Plessis b Philander 04 J. Bumrah c Du Plessis b Philander 00 Extras (lb1) 01 Total (42.4 overs) 135 Falls: 1-30 (Dhawan), 2-30 (Vijay), 3-39 (Pujara), 4-71 (Kohli), 5-76 (Sharma), 6-77 (Pandya), 7-82 (Saha), 8-131 (Ashwin), 9-135 (Shami). Bowling: Philander 15.4-4-42-6, Morkel 11-1-39-2, Rabada 12-2-41-2, Maharaj 4-1-12-0. — AFP