Sourav Ganguly turns one to the leg in Cape Town on Wednesday. (Reuters)

Cape Town: India lost valuable ground in the third and final Test after allowing South Africa to fight their way back into the series-decider with a commendable allround show here on Wednesday.

Captain Graeme Smith led the South African challenge from the front with an unbeaten 76 as the hosts made a strong recovery to be placed at 144 for one at close of Day II in reply to India’s 414 in the first innings.

Smith also put on 130 runs for the unbroken second wicket stand with Hashim Amla (50) to seize back the initiative from the visitors.

The South Africans lost an early wicket when AB de Villiers (1) inside edged Sreesanth behind the stumps but thereafter the Proteas came back strong at the Indians to throw open the match.

India did appear rattled by the aggression of the hosts and there were a number of misfields which compounded the rather poor line bowled by the bowlers.

It more or less completed a poor day for the Indians who resumed at 253 for three and added only 161 runs while losing the rest of the batsmen.

Despite half centuries from Sachin Tendulkar (64) and Sourav Ganguly (66), and a belligerent 40 from demoted Virender Sehwag, India suffered a collapse and lost their final five wickets for 19 runs.

India were well on course for a big first innings score when they took lunch at 350 for five and thereafter swelled it to 395 for five within 45 minutes on resumption.

Sourav and Sehwag raised 58 runs from only 72 deliveries when the Delhi batsman tried to sweep left-arm spinner Paul Harris only to offer a catch at fine-leg.

Shaun Pollock then ran through the tail to finish with four for 75 from 29.1 overs, a commendable figure, although much attention centred around debutant Harris who also claimed four wickets for 129 runs.

India lost both the overnight batsmen, Sachin and V.V.S. Laxman (13) in the first session where 21 runs were scored in the first hour but thereafter 75 runs accrued from the second.

Laxman lost his off-stump to Dale Steyn through poor footwork while Sachin was stunned to see a delivery from Harris pitch outside his leg-stump and turn and bounce to take the bat’s edge to lone slip fielder Jacques Kallis.

Sachin in all batted for 187 minutes and faced 130 balls for his 60 runs, stroking 11 fours. Sachin, on Wednesday, surpassed Brian Lara in terms of scoring most number of runs in away Test matches. Sachin scored 5737 in 75 Tests at an average of 54.64 while Lara’s tally is 5736 in 66 Tests with an average of 47.80.

Sehwag was a willing foil as he struck South African bowlers with impunity, once going down on his knees to hoist Harris over mid-wicket for a massive six.

Sehwag made 40 from 50 balls in 49 minutes of batting and struck six fours and a six in his knock.

Anil Kumble (0) was leg before to Pollock off a delivery which cut back sharply and Zaheer Khan (1) failed to keep his right leg on the ground as he was stumped off Harris for one.

Sourav, now left with the last man Munaf Patel, came down the track to deposit Harris high into the widish long-on stands but fell at the other end when he lobbed Pollock towards mid-off. His 66-run knock came off 75 balls and contained nine fours and a six.

South Africa started their reply 40 minutes before tea break and lost opener De Villiers soon.

But Smith appeared in regal touch as he began his innings in stunning fashion, hooking the first ball from Zaheer for a six and then pulling the last for a boundary. He has so far hit 11 boundaries and a six in his unconquered 111-run knock.