Cape Town, Jan 6: The Indian batsmen, led by Gautam Gambhir, managed to eke out a gritty draw on the final day of the Cape Town Test. A drawn result in this game means that the three-match series result between the top two Test playing nations in the world stands concluded at 1-1.

Although, Sachin Tendulkar (14*) and VVS Laxman (32*) saw India through to the time play was called off (at the end of 82 overs), India’s hero for the day was Gautam Gambhir. The left-handed batsman was able to produce an innings of great concentration and application that helped India get through the first two sessions of the day without much trouble. When Gambhir fell, at an individual score of 64 (184 balls), 62.3 of the mandatory 90 overs for the day had already been used up.

Earlier, any hopes that India nurtured of pulling off the run chase depended largely on Virender Sehwag. The opener, it must be said, was watchful for most of his stay at the wicket. But Morne Morkel, who had bowled a relentless, probing, line to Gambhir, got a ball to pitch at the ideal length which caught the edge of Sehwag’s bat. Mark Boucher completed an easy catch.

With Sehwag’s wicket, out went the possibility of India chasing down the target set by the hosts. Rahul Dravid and Gambhir then dug in and played with absolute grit and determination. Paul Harris, who was getting the ball to jump out of the rough for Gambhir was handled with a great degree of caution, as were the rest of the South African bowlers.

Their partnership helped India get by the morning session and the duo continued their good work of keeping the South Africans at bay post-Lunch. Runs were hard to come by, but with the emphasis on salvaging a draw the two were happy to play in the defensive mould. Nevertheless, with Gambhir bringing up his half-century, his third of the series, with a lovely back foot drive off Dale Steyn, the Indians had something to cheer about on what has otherwise been a very hard day for them.

Lonwabo Tsotsobe, who was unlucky to go wicket-less in the first innings, then got Dravid (31 off 112) to edge a catch to Ashwell Prince at third slip. But with Gambhir standing firm till late in the day and Tendulkar appearing equally resolute (14* off 91), India managed to end the series with a draw and their heads held high.

Brief Score (At Tea on Day 5):South Africa 1st innings 362 in 112.5 overs (Jacques Kallis 161, S Sreesanth 5/99) and 2nd innings 341 in 102 overs (Jacques Kallis 109*, Harbhajan Singh 7/120) draw with India 1st innings 364 in 117.1 overs (Sachin Tendulkar 146, Dale Steyn 5/75) and 2nd innings 166/3 in 82 overs (Sachin Tendulkar 14*, VVS Laxman 32*, Gautam Gambhir 64, Morne Morkel 1/26)

At Tea:India2nd innings 114/2 in 56 overs (Gautam Gambhir 62*, Sachin Tendulkar 7*)

At Lunch:India2nd innings 53/1 in 28 overs (Gautam Gambhir 32*, Rahul Dravid 8*)

After Day 4: South Africa2nd innings 341 in 102 overs (Jacques Kallis 109*, Harbhajan Singh 7/120)

After Day 3: South Africa2nd innings 52/2 in 16 overs (Alviro Petersen 22*,Hashim Amla 0*

After Day 2: India 1st innings 142/2 in 50 overs (Gautam Gambhir 65*, Sachin Tendulkar 49*)

After Day 1: South Africa 1st innings 232/4 in 74 overs (Jacques Kallis 81*, Ashwell Prince 28*)

Man-of-the-Match: Jacques Kallis for his twin innings of 161 and 109*, which made him the first South African to record back-to-back centuries in the same Test match at home.

Man-of-the-Series: Jacques Kallis for his massive aggregate of 498 runs in the three-match series. Kallis, who did not bowl in the Cape Town Test, also took 3 wickets in the series.