Pollock bowled a relentlessly watertight line and length and was rewarded with figures of four for 26 from 10 overs as South Africa won by 16 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

South Africa totalled a modest 179 for seven from their 50 overs but dismissed the tourists for 163 in 42.4 overs.

Both teams' batsmen struggled to come to terms with a capricious pitch and the West Indies did themselves no favours with suicidal running between the wickets that led to three run-outs.

The home side's best batting came from Boeta Dippenaar, who fashioned a workmanlike 83 off 123 balls with eight fours before falling in the final over, caught in the deep off fast bowler Corey Collymore, who showed fine control to take three for 25.

Openers Herschelle Gibbs and Graeme Smith fell cheaply and the phenomenal run of Jacques Kallis came to an end when he top-edged a hook off 19-year-old fast bowler Ravi Rampaul and was caught in the deep for 16.

It was the first time in four Tests and two one-day internationals this season that Kallis has not scored a century against West Indies.

Only Pollock gave Dippenaar good support in a brisk sixth-wicket stand of 54.

In reply, the West Indies slumped to 29 for three in 8.2 overs with Pollock removing the first three batsmen -- Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Chris Gayle and Ricardo Powell.

Brian Lara was run-out for nine in the 16th over and Ramnaresh Sarwan followed him four overs later, run-out by quick-thinking wicketkeeper Mark Boucher.

Dwayne Smith and Ridley Jacobs kept the South Africans at bay for six overs and 22 runs before Kallis trapped Smith lbw for 24 and when Jacobs was run-out for 15 with the total at 104 for seven, there was only going to be one winner.

Lara blamed the defeat on the run-outs.

``We threw it away by losing our wickets very carelessly, in particular those three unnecessary run-outs,'' he said.

``Sarwan and Jacobs really got set and should have taken the opportunity to take us home.''

The next match is in Durban on Friday and the West Indies will need to avoid defeat to keep the series alive.

``Durban is a do-or-die situation for us, and we need to put our best foot forward there,'' Lara said.

South African captain Graeme Smith blamed the sluggish pitch for the low scoring that characterised the match.

``It was another tough wicket to bat on (like the pitch in Cape Town on Sunday).'' he said.

``We had great Test match wickets, and now we've had two tough one-day wickets. It was just fantastic fielding and bowling that did it for us.''

SOUTH AFRICA

G.Smith b Collymore 9

H.Gibbs c Chanderpaul b Dillon 10

J.Kallis c Collymore b Rampaul 16

B.Dippenaar c Sarwan b Collymore 83

J.Rudolph c Rampaul b Gayle 14

M.Boucher c and b Hurley 5

S.Pollock b Collymore 26

L.Klusener not out 7

Extras: (lb-2, nb-5, w-2) 9

Total: (for seven wickets, 50 overs) 179

Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-20, 3-57, 4-103, 5-110, 6-164, 7-177.

Bowling: Dillon 10-0-26-1, Collymore 10-2-25-3 (nb-1, w-1) Smith 6-0-27-0 (nb-1), Rampaul 9-0-33-1, Hurley 9-0-42-1 (nb-3) Gayle 6-1-24-1 (w-1).

WEST INDES

C.Gayle c Dippenaar b Pollock 9

S.Chanderpaul lbw b Pollock 2

R.Powell lbw b Pollock 15

R.Sarwan run-out 12

B.Lara run-out 9

D.Smith lbw b Kallis 24

R.Jacobs run out-15

R.Hurley b Kallis 5

M.Dillon lbw b Pollock 14

R.Rampaul c and b Klusener 24

C.Collymore not out 12

Extras: (lb-13, w-9) 22

Total: (all out, 42.4 overs) 163

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-24, 3-29, 4-58, 5-74, 6-96, 7-104, 8-111, 9-126.