South Africa battled back from losing the opening Test to win the three-match series 2-1 against India; Keegan Petersen top-scored with 82 as the hosts chased down 212 to claim a seven-wicket victory on home soil
Friday 14 January 2022 18:46, UK
Keegan Petersen scored a superb 82 as South Africa completed a seven-wicket victory in the third Test and a 2-1 series win over world No 1 India on a spiteful Newlands pitch.
South Africa chased down their victory target of 212 on Friday, just the fourth time in 133 years that a team has scored more than 200 in Cape Town to win. The latest success follows on from their epic seven-wicket victory in Johannesburg in the second Test when they needed 240 in the fourth innings.
Petersen, who was the leading scorer in the series with 276 runs, was the anchor for the home side on a difficult wicket for batting, but there were also important unbeaten contributions from Rassie van der Dussen (41) and Temba Bavuma (32) as they put on 57 for the fourth wicket.
South Africa, who were underdogs for the series despite home advantage with their inexperienced side, had started the day on 101-2 and had plenty of alarms on the difficult pitch against the high-quality Indian seamers, who might have had more reward with better luck.
They only had themselves to blame though when Cheteshwar Pujara dropped Petersen at first slip when the batsman had 59, a simple chance off the bowling of Jasprit Bumrah.
It might have brought a different complexion to the day, but South Africa rode that luck and Petersen looked in control before he chopped a Shardul Thakur delivery onto his stumps 40 minutes before lunch. His innings off just 113 balls followed a fine 72 in the first innings.
India were left hugely frustrated by the technology used for dismissal referrals and might have talked themselves into some trouble with their deliberate on-field comments into the stump microphones.
Their frustration threatened to boil over when they believed they had Van der Dussen caught behind off the bowling of Mohammed Shami, though the bowler himself showed no interest and returned to his mark.
But captain Virat Kohli sent the not-out decision for review, and although there was a spike on the ultra-edge technology, it was ruled the batsman had hit the ground. It followed India's utter fury on Thursday when they believed they had home captain Dean Elgar out leg before wicket, but after being given out, the ball-tracker technology suggested the delivery was bouncing over the stumps.
India will remain in South Africa for a three-match ODI series, live on Sky Sports, with back-to-back matches at Boland Park, Paarl on Wednesday and January 21 before the third ODI takes place at Newlands, Cape Town on January 23.
Coverage from all three matches begins from 8.30am on each date on Sky Sports Cricket, ahead of play getting underway at 9am.
India then return home for a three-match ODI series with the West Indies in February, followed by a three-match T20I contest, before playing two Tests and three T20 internationals against Sri Lanka from February 25.
