SA MAKE HISTORY

SPINNER Simon Harmer took six wickets as the Proteas klapped India by 408 runs in the second Test on Wednesday to condemn the hosts to a record loss and sweep the series.

It was South Africa’s first series win in India in 25 years, after bowling the home team out for a swak 140 in an unlikely chase of 549 on day five in Guwahati.

Off-spinner Harmer, 36, returned figures of 6/37 as world champions SA clinched a Test series in India for only the second time, the first in 2000 under Hansie Cronje.

Left-arm quick Marco Jansen, who took 6/48 in India’s first-innings 201 after klapping a quickfire 93 with the bat as the visitors piled up 489, wysed: “Winning a Test match and series in India is very special.”

Starting day five at 27/2 as they attempted to avoid defeat, India rode their luck early when Jansen had Sai Sudharsan caught behind for four, but the delivery was declared a no-ball after the bowler overstepped.

In the next over, Kuldeep Yadav survived a reprieve on four when Aiden Markram dropped him at first slip off Harmer. The relief was short-lived for India as a relentless Harmer bowled Kuldeep for five for the first wicket of the day.

Three balls later the spinner dismissed Dhruv Jurel for two and soon sent back Pant for 13 as India slumped to 58/5.

Ravindra Jadeja resisted with 54 before Keshav Maharaj had him stumped and the spinner soon got the final wicket of Mohammed Siraj, with Jansen pulling off a kwaai catch in the deep.