Graeme Smith cracked a blistering unbeaten 134 as a ruthless South Africa kept themselves on course for their first one-day series win on Indian soil with a resounding ten-wicketvictory against India in the fourth one-dayer today.
After skittling out the hosts for a paltry 188 in 45.5 overs on a green-tinged track, captain Smith unleashed his batting artistry to notch up his fifth ODI century and steer his team home for an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
The hosts were thoroughly outplayed in all departments of the game as the Proteas first produced a clinical bowling display and then overhauled the target with 14.1 overs to spare, turning the crucial floodlit encounter at the Eden Gardens into a totally lop-sided affair.
Smith gave a fine exhibition of stroke play as he seemed to be no trouble at all during his 124-ball knock to put on 189 runs with Andrew Hall (48 not out) for the opening partnership.
The Indians were a pale shadow of themselves as the famed batting line-up failed to last out the 50 overs after Shaun Pollock(3-25) had caused the early jolts with a devastating opening spell which saw three wickets fall inside sevenovers.
Hall also chipped in with three wickets, including the prized scalps of Virender Sehwag and M S Dhoni.
It was only the fourth time India were losing a one-dayer by 10 wickets, and the first time at home.
The home team could have been in a far more embarrassing position had it not been for a defiant 81-run sixth wicket partnership between Yuvraj Singh (53) and Mohammad Kaif (46) which provided a semblance of respectability to the total.
The two teams will now travel to Mumbai for the fifth and last one-dayer to be held under floodlights on November 28, a game which India has to win to level the series.
It turned out to be a poor day for the Indians who failed to live up to expectations in front of a near-capacity crowd at the Eden which at times showed that it has still not come to terms with the sacking of local heroSaurav Ganguly from the one-day outfit.