Philander takes six as South Africa beat India

Cricket - India v South Africa - First Test cricket match - Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa - January 8, 2018. South Africa's players celebrate after their win over India. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Seamer Vernon Philander took career-best figures as rampant South Africa claimed a 72-run victory over India on a gripping fourth day of the first test on Monday.

Set 208 for victory, India were skittled out for 135 in 42.4 overs in their second innings on a lively wicket with Philander the chief destroyer, recording figures of 6-42.

Cricket - India v South Africa - First Test cricket match - Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa - January 8, 2018. South Africa player's Vernon Philander celebrates with teammates after bowling out India's Mohammed Shami. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham

India had looked to seize control of the test when they bowled South Africa out for 130 in the morning session, but found the home attack on the seamer-friendly wicket too much of a challenge.

"I was nervous we did not have enough runs," South Africa captain Faf du Plessis told reporters. "I knew the new ball would be key for us, if we could strike early we believed we could get through their batting line-up.

"But I came in this morning hoping to get a 350 lead and bowl at them tonight, so obviously that did not go to plan."

Cricket - India v South Africa - First Test cricket match - Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa - January 8, 2018. India's captain Virat Kohli makes a run. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham

After day three had been a washout, 18 wickets fell in 64 overs on Monday, all going to seamers.

South Africa resumed on 65 for two, but were only able to double their score before they lost their last eight wickets.

Mohammed Shami (3-28) and debutant Jasprit Bumrah (3-39) were the pick of the Indian bowlers.

Cricket - India v South Africa - First Test cricket match - Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa - January 8, 2018. India's captain Virat Kohli plays a shot. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham

Only an attacking 35 from AB De Villiers stemmed the tide to a degree before he was the last man out.

South Africa, without injured seamer Dale Steyn who will miss the rest of the series with a heel problem, weathered a first-wicket stand of 30 for India in reply.

Shikhar Dhawan (16) was out first as he sparred a rising deliver from Morne Morkel (2-39) to gully.

Cricket - India v South Africa - First Test cricket match - Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa - January 8, 2018. South Africa's Vernon Philander bowls to India's Murali Vijay. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham

Philander picked up his first wicket as fellow opener Murali Vijay (13) edged to third slip.

Cheteshwar Pujara (four) became Morkel's second victim with the score on 39, before Indian captain Virat Kohli (28) took the attack to the South Africans.

He was undone playing across a straight delivery from Philander.

Cricket - India v South Africa - First Test cricket match - Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa January 8, 2018. India's captain Virat Kohli plays a shot. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham

Rohit Sharma (10) was bowled off the inside edge by Philander before the tourists' first-innings hero Hardik Pandya edged Kagiso Rabada to De Villiers in the slips.

Rabada claimed the wicket of Wriddhiman Saha (eight) with the last ball before tea.

Philander then took three wickets in four balls to seal victory after a seventh-wicket stand of 49 between top-scorer Ravichandran Ashwin (37) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (13 not out) had briefly sent jitters through the Newlands crowd.

Cricket - India v South Africa - First Test cricket match - Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa - January 8, 2018. India cricket players celebrate the dismissal of South Africa's Faf du Plessis, bowled by Mohammed Shami. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham

"We were in the game for the three days and it was a wonderful match to be part of," Kohli said. "But we need to rectify our mistakes... the mindset really matters when you travel away from home."

South Africa are hosting India in a three-test series this month, with matches to come in Pretoria, starting on Saturday, and Johannesburg.

Cricket - India v South Africa - First Test cricket match - Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa - January 8, 2018. South Africa's Vernon Philander bowls to India's Murali Vijay. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham

(Reporting by Nick Said, editing by Ed Osmond and Christian Radnedge)

Cricket - India v South Africa - First Test cricket match - Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa January 8, 2018. South Africa's Vernon Philander celebrates bowling India's Murali Vijay out. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham

Cricket - India v South Africa - First Test cricket match - Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa January 8, 2018. India's Murali Vijay avoids being hit by a ball. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham

Cricket - India v South Africa - First Test cricket match - Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa - January 8, 2018. India's captain Virat Kohli congralates team-mate Bhuvneshwar Kumar after he bowled out South Africa's Morne Morkel. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham

Cricket - India v South Africa - First Test cricket match - Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa - January 8, 2018. India's Jasprit Bumrah gestures after bowling out South Africa's AB de Villiers. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham

Cricket - India v South Africa - First Test cricket match - Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa - January 8, 2018. South Africa's Keshav Maharaj plays a shot. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham

Cricket - India v South Africa - First Test cricket match - Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa - January 8, 2018. South Africa's AB de Villiers plays a shot. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham

Cricket - India v South Africa - First Test cricket match - Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa - January 8, 2018. South Africa's AB de Villiers gestures to team-mate Morne Morkel. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham

Cricket - India v South Africa - First Test cricket match - Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa - January 8, 2018. South Africa's Quinton de Kock makes a run. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham

Cricket - India v South Africa - First Test cricket match - Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa - January 8, 2018. South Africa's Quinton de Kock plays a shot. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham

Cricket - India v South Africa - First Test cricket match - Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa - January 8, 2018. India cricket players celebrate the dismissal of South Africa's Faf du Plessis, bowled by Mohammed Shami. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham

Cricket - India v South Africa - First Test cricket match - Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa - January 8, 2018. South Africa's AB de Villiers chats to team-mate Quinton de Kock. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham