Proteas chase total to seal comeback series win

Keegan Petersen scored a superb 82 as South Africa completed a seven-wicket victory in the third Test to seal a 2-1 series win over India on a difficult Newlands pitch.

In chasing down a tricky total of 212, the Proteas became just the fourth team in 133 years to score over 200 in Cape Town to win, and comes immediately after an epic fourth innings chase of 240 in the second Test.

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 on Friday, but there were also important unbeaten contributions from Rassie van der Dussen (41) and Temba Bavuma (32) who put on an unbroken 57 for the fourth wicket.

The result means India, the world's No.1 ranked side, are still in search of a first Test series victory in South Africa.

The teams will now play three ODIs starting in Paarl on Wednesday.

An inexperienced South Africa side, who were underdogs for the series despite home advantage, had started the day on 2-101 on the difficult pitch against the high-quality Indian seamers, who might have had more reward with better luck.

The visitors only had themselves to blame though when Cheteshwar Pujara dropped Petersen at first slip when the batsman was on 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 of 82 came off just 113 balls following 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 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.