Dravid's 79 fails to save India

BENONI, South Africa, Nov 17 (Reuters) Captain Rahul Dravid was the one batsman to shine as the Indians lost out by 37 runs to the Rest of South Africa in their only warm-up match before the one-day international series.

India were chasing 256 for victory but slid to 218 all out, Dravid top-scoring with 79, last night.

The practice match, in which each team used 12 players, was a success for paceman Dale Steyn, who staked a claim for a return to the South African senior side by taking five for 22.

India slumped to 82 for six after Steyn took a pair of wickets in each of his first two spells and medium-pacer Alfonso Thomas also struck twice.

That left Dravid and all-rounder Irfan Pathan with a mountain to climb, but their stand of 84 off 105 balls lifted India to within sight of a morale-boosting victory ahead of the first one-day international in Johannesburg on Sunday.

Pathan survived a number of close calls in scoring 34, but was eventually bowled by a well-flighted delivery from young off-spinner Thandi Tshabalala.

After Anil Kumble (4) had fallen to part-time leg-spinner Jacques Rudolph, Steyn bowled Dravid with the first ball of his third spell, the Indian playing-on as he was beaten for pace.

Kumble's return to one-day international action was earlier marked by a couple of wickets for 31 in 10 overs as the Rest of South Africa scored 255 for eight.

REUTERS PM RK1533