Azharuddin in charge

India 237 & 270-5 South Africa 177

An unbeaten 88 by Mohammed Azharuddin put India in charge as their overall lead swelled to 330 runs on the third day of the third and deciding Test against South Africa in Kanpur yesterday.

Azharuddin punished the South African attack, hammering 15 boundaries as India, starting the day at 7 for 1 for an overall lead of 67 runs, reached 270 for 5 at the close. South Africa scored 177 in reply to India's first-innings total of 237.

Azharuddin, who scored a brisk hundred plus a half century in the second Test, added 71 runs for the fifth wicket with his captain, Sachin Tendulkar. India, who have not lost a home series since their 1986-87 loss to Pakistan, won the opening Test in Ahmedabad, but South Africa levelled the series with a crushing 329-run victory in Calcutta.

Third day; India won toss

INDIA - First Innings 237 (S R Tendulkar 61, W V Raman 57; P R Adams 6-55).

SOUTH AFRICA - First Innings 177 (A Kumble 4-71; J Srinath 3-42).

INDIA - Second Innings

(Overnight: 7 for 1)

N R Mongia lbw b Klusener 18

A Kumble c Gibbs b De Villiers 42

S Ganguly c McMillan b Symcox 41

*S R Tendulkar c Richardson b Klusener 36

M Azharuddin not out 88

R S Dravid not out 33

Extras (b4 lb5 nb1) 10

Total (for 5, 94 overs) 270

Fall: 1-2 2-41 3-91 4-121 5-192.

Bowling (to date): De Villiers 21-10-49-2 (2nb); Klusener 22-6-62-2; McMillan 16-6-36-0; Cronje 10-4-15-0; Adams 12-0-57-0; Symcox 13-1-42- 1.

Umpires: S Venkataraghavan (Ind) and D R Shepherd (Eng).