Durban, Dec 28:The final session of Day 3 of the Durban Test between India and South Africa came to a premature end as bad light forced the umpires to call off proceedings. South Africa were 111/3, requiring another 192 runs to win, when play was stopped.

South Africa had begun their chase of the 303-run target in the post-Lunch session after India’s second innings total folded for 228 runs. The hosts’ captain and opener Graeme Smith was the chief aggressor in the chase as he played at nearly a run-a-ball (37 off 38) before top-edging a delivery from S Sreesanth with the score at 63. India then made further inroads as Harbhajan Singh got rid of Alviro Petersen (26) while Sreesanth claimed Hashim Amla (16) to leave South Africa tottering at 82/3.

Earlier, India began the day with Cheteshwar Pujara falling to Morne Morkel in the very first over. MS Dhoni then added a quick 21 runs off just 35 balls before he was dismissed by Lonwabo Tsotsobe. Short-lived as it was, Dhoni’s stay at the wicket with Laxman produced a valuable 48-run partnership for India’s cause.

Morkel then earned the hosts their third wicket of the morning by producing a beautiful delivery that moved away after landing and got the edge of Harbhajan Singh’s bat on its way to second slip. At this stage, India had added only 56 runs in the morning session for the loss of three wickets.

Zaheer Khan, who has already played a prominent role in this match with his bowling, then came to the wicket and provided Laxman with some able support. Zaheer was at the receiving end of a hostile spell by Dale Steyn and even survived a couple of close LBW shouts. But thanks to some resolute batting, he remained unbeaten at Lunch. Laxman, meanwhile, bolstered his reputation of being a second innings legend. Regularly bisecting the field either for ones or twos, he dispatched every loose ball to the boundary with disdain. The Laxman-Zaheer partnership, worth 70 runs, is the highest in this match.

However, India lost Zaheer Khan (27) in the very first over after Lunch as he edged a Paul Harris delivery to AB de Villiers at second slip. Ishant Sharma (0) went next, falling prey to a rising delivery from Jacques Kallis, giving an easy catch to Hashim Amla at short-leg. VVS Laxman, hoping not to be stranded in the quest for a second innings century, tried to blast his way through but only ended up nicking a Steyn delivery to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher. Laxman’s innings, the highlight of the match so far, produced 96 runs for India.

Brief Score (At end of Day 3): India 1st innings 205 in 65.1 overs (VVS Laxman 38, Dale Steyn 6/50) and India 2nd innings 228 in 70.5 overs (VVS Laxman 96, Lonwabo Tsotsobe 3/43); South Africa 1st innings 131 in 37.2 overs (Hashim Amla 33, Harbhajan Singh 4/10) and South Africa 2nd innings 111/3 in 27 overs (Jacques Kallis 12*, AB de Villiers 17*, Graeme Smith 37, S Sreesanth 2/30)

At Tea: South Africa 2nd innings 70/1 in 13 overs (Alviro Petersen 24*, Hashim Amla 6*)

At Lunch: India 2nd innings 218/7 in 62 overs (VVS Laxman 86*, Zaheer Khan 27*)

After Day 2: India 2nd innings 92/4 in 30.5 overs (VVS Laxman 23*, Cheteshwar Pujara 10*)

After Day 1: India 1st innings 183/6 in 56.0 overs (MS Dhoni 20*, Harbhajan Singh 15*)