CAPE TOWN: South Africa´s fast bowlers, led by Vernon Philander, blastedthrough India´s batting as the host nation gained a 72-run win on thefourth day of the first Test at Newlands on Monday.

Set 208 to win the first of three matches between the world´s two leadingTest teams, number one-ranked India were bowled out for 135 by theirnearest challengers.

Philander took six for 42 with Morne Morkel and Kagiso Rabada claiming twowickets each as India were subjected to a pace barrage in bowler-friendlyconditions.

South Africa were reduced to three fast bowlers because of a heel injurysuffered by Dale Steyn while bowling on Saturday.

Earlier, it had been the Indian bowlers who held sway when South Africawere bowled out for 130 in their second innings, losing their last eightwickets for 65 runs.

India´s run chase started promisingly with Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawanputting on 30 for the first wicket, although Vijay was reprieved on reviewtwice after being given out against Philander, for leg before wicket and acatch behind the wicket.

But then Dhawan was caught at gully off his bat handle when he got into atangle against a lifting ball from Morkel. Six balls later it was thirdtime lucky for Philander as Vijay edged a catch to AB de Villiers at thirdslip.

Philander claimed the key wicket of Indian captain Virat Kohli, who hadlooked confident in scoring 28 before he was trapped leg before wicket.

Philander struck again when Rohit Sharma was bowled off an inside edge andRabada dismissed first innings top scorer Hardik Pandya for one, caught bya diving De Villiers at third slip.

Rabada trapped Wriddhiman Saha leg before with the last ball before tea toleave India in a desperate situation in a match which hastened to aconclusion despite the loss of the third day because of rain.

Ravichandran Ashwin and Bhuvneshwar Kumar put on 49 for the eighth wicketbefore Philander took the last three wickets in the space of four balls.

Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah were the main destroyers of the SouthAfrican batting, taking three wickets each.

Shami started the collapse, dismissing Hashim Amla with the ninth ball ofthe morning and taking three wickets for 28 runs.

Bumrah took three for 39, including the wicket of South African captain Fafdu Plessis, who fell to an unplayable delivery which lifted sharply off agood length and flicked a glove.

Despite being ruled out of the rest of the series, Steyn, who arrived atthe ground on crutches, limped to the wicket as the last batsman in aneffort to keep company with De Villiers, who top-scored with 35.

He managed to defend four balls from Kumar but De Villiers was caught offBumrah in the next over by Kumar, one of eight fielders stationed on theboundary.

Wicketkeeper Saha set an Indian record by taking ten catches in the match,five in each innings.

After being under covers for two nights and a day, the pitch offered plentyof seam movement and occasional steep bounce.