CAPE TOWN: Extremely cautious batting by the Indian top order helped them secure a draw in their third and final test against the South Africans. They also drew the series with the hosts 1-1.
India never tried to reach the target of 340. The fourth innings was the slowest of the match. In the first three innings, runs had been scored at more than three runs per over. This innings barely crossed two runs per over.
The most hard-hitting Indian batsman, Sehwag, scored only 11 runs from 40 balls. Despite this cautiousness, he fell to a great delivery by Morkel, which moved just enough to get an outside edge to be adeptly held by Smith in the first slip.
Dravid and Gambhir then took India from 27 to 106 before Dravid was caught by Prince off Tsotsobe. In the next 12 overs, the Indians scored at one run per over. Steyn finally had Gambhir, who had scored 64, caught by Boucher. The score was 120 for three. The South Africans sensed victory.
But then Laxman and Sachin offered tough resistance to the South African bowlers. Sachin batted at a strike rate of 15 runs, scoring 14 runs from 91 balls without a boundary. Laxman was not as frightened by the bowling, however. His 32 from 67 balls included four fours.
The two teams will now play a T20 game at Durban before a three-match one-day series.
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