KOLKATA, India, (Re-uters) – South Africa batsman  Hashim Amla defied India with another remarkable century in the  second test yesterday but was unable to prevent the hosts  snatching victory with nine balls remaining on the final day.

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was the destroyer with five for  59 to give India the win they needed to square the two-test  series and retain their world number one ranking.

Amla, with a masterly unbeaten 123, scored his third century  in as many innings. But he was forced to watch helpless from the  other end as Harbhajan dismissed last man Morne Morkel for 12 to  spark jubiliant celebrations from the Indian team.

Morkel lingered for 20.4 overs after Amla, who hit 114 in  the first innings, had batted for over eight hours to frustrate  India. The home side had three full sessions to take seven South  African wickets after the tourists resumed on 115-3.

India eventually won by an innings and 57 runs after South  Africa had been bowled out for 290 in their second innings.

South Africa were bidding for their first series victory in  India in a decade after winning the opening test in Nagpur by an  innings.

“If you look at recent stats and recent records of teams  that have come here not many teams have been able to push India  like we have been able to push them,” South Africa captain  Graeme Smith told reporters. “So that is a positive for us and  the credit to our character. “It was an incredible effort from Morne (Morkel) and Hashim  (Amla) and Wayne (Parnell) who put together partnerships.

“The game could have been easily over just after tea where  we were sitting. If anything, we created pressure on India. Us  coming into the series they had everything to lose and we had  everything to gain.” India have lost only two test series at home in the past  decade, to South Africa in 2000 and Australia in 2004, and their  loss in the opening test in Nagpur was their first at home in  two years.

Harbhajan bowled 48.3 overs after only 34.1 overs had been  possible on the fourth day due to rain and bad light. Pace  bowler Zaheer Khan did not take the field due to a strained  quadricep.

“From this match, we have learnt that if we fight till the  last, we will do special things,” Harbhajan said. “We were all  ready for the fight, knew it was a very important game for all  of us. It is no fluke to be at the top.”

Amla became only the fifth South African to score a century  in each innings of a test following his double century which was  instrumental in South Africa’s first test victory. He totalled  490 runs in three innings in the brief series.

“Most of the teams don’t know much about conditions here,  but Amla was calm throughout,” Harbhajan said. “That was the  key, he kept to his style, did not take chances, played  cricketing shots…was the best South African batsman.”