cricket news

Srilanka muralitharan DESTROYS

INDIA TOP ORDER

COLOMBO (Reuters) - India face the prospect of a massive innings defeat after slumping to 103 for six in their second innings, still 274 runs in arrears, in the first test against Sri Lanka on Saturday.
Spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis left the tourists in disarray on a dry spinning pitch, bowling out India for 223 and allowing Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene to enforce the follow on with India trailing by 377 runs.
The new 'spin twins', playing their first test match together, then ripped through the tourists top order for the second time, dismissing Virender Sehwag (13), VVS Laxman (21), Sachin Tendulkar (12), Gautam Gambhir (43), Sourav Ganguly (four) and Rahul Dravid (10).
Muralitharan snared five for 84 from 29 overs in the first innings, his 64th five-wicket haul in tests, and then claimed a further four for 12 in eight overs in the second innings.
Mendis, an unorthodox finger spinner, claimed four for 72 from 27.5 overs in the first innings and also took the wicket of Laxman and Dravid in the second innings.
In the morning, the only Indian resistance to Sri Lanka's spinners had been VVS Laxman, who batted patiently for his 56 off 118 deliveries.
Mendis struck early in the morning with Anil Kumble being trapped lbw for one.
UMPIRE REVIEW
Muralitharan claimed his fifth wicket of the innings as Harbhajan Singh (nine) edged onto his pad and was caught at short leg. Zaheer Khan was pinned lbw with a quicker delivery from Mendis.
Last man Ishant Sharma (13 not out) helped Laxman add 35 for the final wicket but Mendis quickly wrapped up the innings after being reintroduced into the attack.
In the second innings, Muralitharan needed just four balls to strike as Sehwag padded away a delivery from around the wicket.
The initial appeal was turned down but Sri Lanka successfully challenged the decision, with third umpire Rudi Koertzen adjudging the ball had pitched in line with the stumps.
Laxman was promoted up the order after his first innings fifty, but was trapped lbw for 21 soon after lunch.
Sri Lanka won their second umpire review when Tendulkar was given out caught at leg slip as he gloved an attempted sweep for 12.
India's problems quickly deepened with Gambhir, who had battled hard for his 43, was brilliantly stumped by Prasanna Jayawardene.
Ganguly last just minutes before edging Muralitharan to a second slip.
Then, in the final over before tea, Dravid was given out caught at bat-pad off Mendis after a third successful umpire referral by Sri Lanka, television clearly indicating an inside edge.