AP
India's V.V.S. Laxman looks back as the bails fall during the second day of the third Test of the Future Cup series in Kanpur yesterday.

KANPUR, India (AP):

SAURAV GANGULY'S composed 87 gave India a slender first-innings lead yesterday in the third and final Test against South Africa, leaving the series decider evenly poised after day two.

Ganguly made South Africa pay for dropping him when on 40 as he spurred India to 288-9 at stumps, providing the hosts with a 23-run lead over South Africa's first innings total of 265 on a pitch exhibiting uneven bounce.

Running out of partners, Ganguly fell trying an ambitious cover drive, but resurrected India's innings after Rahul Dravid (29) and V.V.S. Laxman (50) departed in successive overs from Morne Morkel (3-57).

Partnerships

Ganguly featured in two productive partnerships, adding 65 runs for the fifth wicket with Yuvraj Singh (32) and 60 runs for the sixth with stand-in captain Mahendra Dhoni (32), to keep alive India's hopes of squaring the series.

Ganguly struck nine fours and a six off 119 deliveries, and received a chance when Neil McKenzie at extra cover failed to hold a lofted drive off Morkel.

Leading 1-0 after hammering India by an innings and 90 runs in the second Test, South Africa are seeking to clinch the series and displace India from the No. 2 spot in the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Test rankings.

India revived

India lost openers Virender Sehwag (eight) and Wasim Jaffer (15) cheaply before Laxman and Dravid added 78 runs to revive India. Sehwag hit two boundaries before being trapped lbw by Dale Steyn (3-60) in the day's fifth over, beaten by an incutter that left him stranded in front of the stumps.

Jaffer was also out lbw, beaten in Morkel's first over by a delivery that kept low.

Morkel claimed his second as he got a good-length delivery to rise awkwardly and hit Dravid on the left wrist, with the ball ballooning to A.B. de Villiers in the gully.

Laxman survived a chance on 43 when he edged left-arm spinner Paul Harris, only for Jacques Kallis at slip to put down a low chance to his left. He went on to complete his half century before Morkel struck with another delivery that kept low and bowled him.