Cricket: New boys prop up South Africa

South Africa. . . . . .189-5 v India

JONTY RHODES and Darryl Cullinan, two inexperienced batsmen, came to South Africa's rescue on the first day of the fourth and final Test against India in Cape Town yesterday.

Rhodes made 61 not out and Cullinan, on his debut, 46 as South Africa recovered from the shock of losing their captain, Kepler Wessels, for nought to finish the day on 189 for five.

Wessels was bowled between his legs by an inswinging ball from Manoj Prabhakar, who dismissed him before he had scored in the third Test last week.

His opening partner, Andrew Hudson, was later caught and bowled by Javagal Srinath for 19 with the score 28.

After winning the toss it was a disappointing total, but a better position than seemed likely when Rhodes, in his third Test, and Cullinan came together at 78 for four.

They added 99, surviving several alarms, before Cullinan was dismissed. Rhodes then saw out the day with Brian McMillan (4 not out). Before Rhodes and Cullinan joined forces, only Hansie Cronje had passed 20 with a slow but composed 33.

India's injury-hit side - Wookeri Raman failed a fitness test on a bruised eye before the game - bowled tightly throughout in a strong cross-wind and would have been even more successful if they had fielded better.

Anil Kumble was the pick of the bowlers, taking 1 for 44 in a luckless 33-over stint. Kapil Dev, meanwhile, picked up wicket 411 in his quest for a Test-record 432.

(First Day - S Africa won toss)

SOUTH AFRICA - First Innings A C Hudson c and b Srinath. . . . . . . . . . .19 *K C Wessels b Prabhakar. . . . . . . . . . . . 0 W J Cronje c Manjrekar b Kumble. . . . . . . . 33 P N Kirsten c More b Kapil. . . . . . . . . . .13 D J Cullinan c Prabhakar b Raju. . . . . . . . 46 J N Rhodes not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 B M McMillan not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Extras: (lb13). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Total: (for 5, 103 overs). . . . . . . . . . .189

Fall: 1-0 2-28 3-57 4-78 5-177

To bat: D J Richardson, O Henry, A A Donald, C R Matthews.

Bowling: Kapil Dev 17-6-26-1, Prabhakar 11-2-23- 1, Raju 30-9-58-1, Srinath 12-4-25-1, Kumble 33-6-44-1.

INDIA: *Mohammad Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja, Manoj Prabhakar, Sanjay Manjrekar, Sachin Tendulkar, Praveen Amre, Kapil Dev, Kiran More, Javagal Srinath, Venkatapathy Raju, Anil Kumble.

Umpires: David Shepherd (England); Karl Liebenberg and Barry Lambson (South Africa)