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Kallis, Boucher restore hope

Cape Town - Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher restored South Africa's fortunes on a topsy-turvy fourth day of the third and final Test against India at Newlands on Wednesday.

South Africa were 212 for six at tea, a lead of 210 on a wearing pitch on which stroke play was becoming increasingly difficult.

Kallis (67 not out) and Boucher (46 not out) added an unbeaten 82 for the seventh wicket.

The veteran pair came together when South Africa were 130 for six, in deep trouble after Harbhajan Singh struck twice early in the day and seamers Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma each took a wicket.

Kallis, batting in pain because of a bruised rib and a side strain suffered during his first innings of 161, needed treatment shortly before lunch but played a chanceless innings.

Off-spinner Harbhajan, who exposed the first cracks in the South African batting order when he took two wickets shortly before the close of play on Tuesday, took just five balls to strike on Wednesday.

Alviro Petersen failed to add to his overnight score of 22 before going back on his stumps to be leg before wicket to Harbhajan.

In Harbhajan's next over, Hashim Amla was bowled for two when he attempted a sweep and the ball looped off his pad and rolled into the stumps.

At that stage Harbhajan had taken four for ten in five overs - but he was unable to add to his wicket haul and had figures of four for 72 from 28 overs at tea.

Kallis and AB de Villiers added 34 with cautious batting before De Villiers tried to withdraw his bat from a lifting delivery by Khan and the ball crashed into his stumps off a bottom edge.

Ashwell Prince slashed Ishant Sharma to backward point after making 22, leaving Boucher as the last recognised batsman to support Kallis.

Khan bowled only two overs between lunch and tea before leaving the field. There was no explanation for his absence.

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