Potchefstroom: Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly was unbeaten on 20 as a familiar sorry tale unfolded for the visitors against a Rest of South Africa side on the opening day of the warm-up cricket match here today (Dec 8, 2006).

The Indians were stuttering at 69 for 5 at lunch after being put in to bat at the Sedgars Park track which had some early juice for the second-string South African fast bowlers.

Ganguly batted with watertight defence and tremendous restraint in the face of relentless deliveries aimed outside his off-stump in over an hour's stay at the wicket.

The left-hander had bowlers for company by the end of the first session with wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (6) departing to the last ball before the break.

The visitors had their top order wrenched out by the lively young seamer Mornie Morkel whose four scalps hit them in the guts.

Nantie Hayward started the rot by having Wasim Jaffer (0) fall leg before wicket to a straight delivery in between bowling some wayward stuff but it was Morkel at the other end who did the star act for the locals.

Morkel snuffed Virender Sehwag (0) out with a well-guided yorker which left the Indian opener flummoxed and reduced the Indians to 2 for 1 in the second over.