Singhs On Song

The Punjab duo of Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh took Sri Lanka apart with the ball and bat respectively to place India in total command on the third day of the third and final Test today.

Off spinner Harbhajan spun a web around the Lankans in their first innings to skittle them out for 206 before lunch with a magnificent haul of 7 for 62, his 17th plus-fivehaul in his 50th Test.

The bowling heroics of the off-spinner, who had sent the tourists scampering for cover with his magic late last evening when he took 4 wickets in 30 balls for 9 runs, were followed by Yuvraj's brilliant innings of 75 off 83 balls on a difficult pitch.

The Punjab left-hander's efforts propelled India to 287 for nine in their second essay after having made 398 in their first.

The last wicket pair of Anil Kumble (23) and Harbhajan (19) were at the crease when stumps were drawn.

The hosts are ahead of the visitors, seeking their first Test win in India and trailing the home team 0-1 in the series, by 479 runs.

Marvan Atapattu's men now face the daunting task of defying the Indian spinners on a wicket offering copious turn and unpredictable bounce for almost two days.

Like in the first innings, the Indian lower order once again contributed heavily to the total with number nine Ajit Agarkar's 48 in 43 balls with six fours and a six being the highlight.

If the morning belonged to Harbhajan and Kumble who spun out the last five Lankan first innings batsmen in just 90 minutes of play, the afternoon was dominated by Yuvraj who stroked the ball fluently on both sides of the wicket.

His 83-ball knock included 13 fours and a six as the home team went in search of quick runs in the second innings with a sizeable first innings lead of 192 to boost them up.

Yuvraj, who came into this Test under severe pressure as the number six batsman in place ofSaurav Ganguly and flopped in the first innings, treated the Lankan attack, including his one-time nemesis Muthiah Muralitharan, with total disdain as runs came in a torrent.

Playing in only his 10th Test, Yuvraj cut, pulled, drove and slog-swept the Lankan pace and spin bowlers alike to rattle the visitors into submission before being caught behind off leg-spinner Malinga Bandara.

His splendid strokeplay took away whatever little hopes the Lankans had of coming back into the match after capitulating to the guiles of Harbhajan. The sardar came up with his best-ever show against the islanders and the second-best display at this ground after Kapil Dev's 9 for 83 in 1982-83 against the West Indies.

The hosts got off to a shock start when Virender Sehwag, captaining the side in the absence of an indisposed Rahul Dravid, was out first ball while slashing a short ball from Lasith Malinga to Farveez Maharoof on the third man fence.

India then lost first innings centurion V.V.S. Laxman with only nine on board when the batsman nicked a late outswinger from Maharoof behind the stumps. He made 5.

Sachin Tendulkar came to the crease to a rousing and noisy reception and made the Indians' intentions clear.

With opener Gautam Gambhir at the other end, Tendulkar was looking to go for the runs from the first ball he faced. The champion batsman drove Maharoof for boundaries off successive balls before he was adjudged leg before when he went back to play part time off break bowler Tilekaratne Dilshan, with India on 34.

Tendulkar's departure brought together two left handers -- Gambhir and Yuvraj. The duo negotiated the Lankan bowlers by being aggressive in their approach and nullified Atapattu's quick bowling changes.

Yuvraj pulled and then back cut leg-spinner Bandara for two successive fours in the latter's first over and then Gambhir twice back cut Dilshan for fours but fell to Murali while trying to repeat the shot.

Gambhir, who was caught behind when the ball jumped alarmingly as he tried to cut it, made 30 in 71 balls with four fours. He stayed for 107 minutes and also added 47 runs for the fourth wicket withYuvraj.

Yuvraj was joined by Mohd Kaif who too looked to go after quick runs from the start, hoisting Muralitharan for an on-driven six. But he fell leg before to Bandara soon afterIndia's 100 came up in the 29th over.

Yuvraj was then joined by Mahendra Singh Dhoni and the sixth wicket duo were not separated till tea and by then the former had also reached his half ton with two fours off successive balls.

He continued to bat in the same vein, after losing Dhoni to the first ball after tea, and also hit Murali for three fours on the trot to take 12 runs in one over. Yuvraj fell while trying to cutBandara.

But the tail wagged vigorously for India again in the match.

In the morning, the tourists, starting the day at 131 for five, lost their remaining wickets for 75 runs, with Harbhajan accounting for three and Kumble, the only other bowler used in the session, grabbing the other two.

PTI