India put Proteas in a spin

Series ends in a draw after three-day thriller in final Test

Last updated: 13th April 2008

Virendr Sehwag Sourav Ganguly third Test in Kanpur

Sehwag: Key wickets for India

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India won a low-scoring third Test in Kanpur by eight wickets to draw the three-match series with South Africa.

On a wearing pitch the tourists were bowled out for just 121 in their second innings, Harbhajan Singh doing the majority of the damage with 4-44.

That left the hosts needing 62 for victory, a target they achieved despite the loss of openers Virender Sehwag, who had earlier taken 3-12 with the ball, and Wasim Jaffer.

Sourav Ganguly followed up his 87 on day two with 13 not out, combining with another former captain, Rahul Dravid, to get their side over the finishing line.

Crucial lead

However, the key innings had come at the start of the day, when India's last-wicket pair of Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma put on 46.

The duo batted for 13.3 overs in the morning to take the final total along to 325, building a first-innings lead of 60 that would turn out to be crucial.

Eventually the stand was ended when Sreesanth fell for 33, just two runs short of his Test best. Spinner Paul Harris picked up the final scalp, joining seamers Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel with three wickets apiece.

The Proteas were unable to give themselves a chance of victory as they were bowled out in 55.5 overs, skipper Graeme Smith the only batsman to look comfortable before he became part of a dramatic batting collapse after tea.

Just after going ahead South Africa lost eight wickets for 56 runs, a rapid demise that was sparked by the part-time bowling of Sehwag, who picked up the prize scalp of Jacques Kallis for 15 and then bowled Smith around his legs for 35.

He also claimed the final wicket of Makhaya Ntini, leaving Ashwell Prince high and dry on 22 not out that had taken 87 balls to make.

Singh star

Harbhajan followed up the wicket of Hashim Amla by dismissing the dangerous AB de Villiers, while Steyn couldn't help but have a hack at the spinner, a ploy that only ended up in him being clean bowled.

Sharma snared Mark Boucher with a delivery that lifted off a length and then get one to go the other way, scurrying along the floor to knock out Morkel's off stump.

Left with a tricky little target in the closing hour of play, India's openers came out in positive fashion, Sehwag hitting back-to-back sixes off Harris before perishing trying to make it a hat-trick.

Jaffer fell too but South Africa never had enough runs to pose a serious threat, their victory in the second Test being wiped out inside three days.