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India crumbled to defeat by South Africa in the unofficial Test at Centurion Park by an innings and 73 runs, after injuries to Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad brought the match to an early end.

With the Indians precariously poised on 257-7 at lunch, trailing by 75 runs, confirmation came through that Srinath and Prasad would definitely not be batting after sustaining a broken left hand and strained neck respectively.

This curtailed any chance India had of forcing South Africa to bat again and left the hosts needing only one wicket to wrap up the match.

Deep Dasgupta was charged with holding the fort with Ashish Nehra, who had come in to replace Harbhajan Singh, the last wicket to fall before lunch.

But South Africa wasted little more than two overs to despatch Dasgupta, who added one run to take him to 27 before falling lbw to Jacques Kallis.

The only other addition to India's score was a leg bye in Kallis' first over after lunch, with the tourists reaching 261 for their total.

India's chances of making South Africa bat again looked bleak with five crucial wickets tumbling in the morning session, Singh's exit in the 82nd over signalling time for lunch.

The exits of Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Anil Kumble in the space of 7.5 overs left the tourists trailing South Africa by 122 runs with four wickets remaining of their second innings.

Early wicket

India resumed on 118 for two, but soon lost Rahul Dravid for 23 in the 12th ball of the morning.

Dravid had hit fast bowler Mornantau Hayward for three consecutive fours before the South African made the early breakthrough.

Attempting to work the next ball, pitched on middle stump, to the leg side, Dravid saw the delivery straighten after pitching and hit the top of his off stump.

This left India on 180 for three after an hour's play, with South Africa having replied to their first innings 232 with 566 declared.

The hosts squandered the chance to dismiss key batsman Tendulkar for 16 with India on 150, Gary Kirsten missing what should have been a comfortable, head high catch.

Two overs later, Tendulkar cut a ball from seamer Lance Klusener just out of first slip Shaun Pollock's reach for four and sent the next delivery flying close to Kirsten's outstretched arms in the gully. It also went to the boundary.

Makhaya Ntini finally despatched Tendulkar for 40 one ball into the 64th over and India began to falter.

Four fall

Laxman was next to fall to Ntini, cutting a short ball straight to Herschelle Gibbs at backward point, Ntini finishing with two for 26 off 18 tight overs.

Three overs later Kumble was on his way back to the pavilion with eight runs to his name, leaving India on 212-6 after handing Nicky Boje a regulation catch at first slip off Shaun Pollock.

Singh put on 30 in his 47-run partnership with Dasgupta before gloving Hayward down the leg side to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher.

His replacement, Nehra did not get off the mark in his two-run partnership with Dasgupta, whose wicket brought an early end to proceedings.

South Africa: Shaun Pollock (capt), Herschelle Gibbs, Gary Kirsten, Jacques Kallis, Neil McKenzie, Jacques Rudolph, Lance Klusener, Mark Boucher (wkt), Nicky Boje, Makhaya Ntini, Nantie Hayward.

India: Rahul Dravid (capt), Shiv Sunder Das, Connor Williams, Sachin Tendulkar, Deep Dasgupta (wkt), VVS Laxman, Venkatesh Prasad, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath, Ashish Nehra.

South Africa won toss and decided to field
Umpires: Rudi Koertzen and David Orchard (both SA)

Match Referee: Denis Lindsay (SA)