Muralitharan in seventh heaven as India collapse

NEW DELHI- Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan tore through the Indian batting order on the second morning of the second test on Sunday, the off spinner picking up seven wickets to help dismiss the home side for 290.

Muralitharan took four wickets for two runs in a sensational 18-ball spell in leading a stunning fight back with figures of 7-100 after India had resumed in a strong position on 245-3. The bowler’s 48th five-wicket innings haul in his 98th test brought about a collapse that led India to lose their last seven wickets for just 36 runs before lunch.Sri Lanka were 14 without loss in reply at the interval.India would have started the day hoping to press on a post a big total, but they simply caved in against the guile of the second most prolific wicket-taker in test history.The 33-year-old took five wickets for 25 runs in his morning spell to move his total in tests to 572.India were on a high overnight after Sachin Tendulkar reached 100 not out to complete a world record 35th test hundred to surpass compatriot Sunil Gavaskar’s mark.Former captain Saurav Ganguly was with him on 39.The pair took their fourth wicket partnership to 121 runs, adding nine runs in the morning, when Muralitharan trapped both batsmen leg before wicket.Ganguly had added just one to his total when the left-handed batsman fell after failing to offer a stroke playing forward to a straight delivery.Tendulkar was beaten attempting to sweep a straight delivery pitched on leg-stump.He hit 14 fours and a six in his 196-ball innings, anchoring the innings for just over five hours for his 109 total.Muralitharan, who kept Sri Lanka in the frame on the opening day by dismissing captain Rahul Dravid (24) and Vangipurappu Laxman (69), proved too good for the Indian batsmen on a good Ferozeshah Kotla pitch.He bowled wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni (5) with a classic “doosra” delivery, had Irfan Pathan caught for a duck and completed his seven-wicket haul when he bowled last man Harbhajan Singh (7) to end a 19-run last wicket stand.Leg-spinner Malinga Bandara bowled superbly at the other end and took the other two wickets to fall in the morning, Yuvraj Singh (0) and Anil Kumble (8).Sri Lanka, who have yet to win a test in India, dominated the rain-marred first test in Chennai, which ended in a draw.-Nampa-ReutersThe bowler’s 48th five-wicket innings haul in his 98th test brought about a collapse that led India to lose their last seven wickets for just 36 runs before lunch.Sri Lanka were 14 without loss in reply at the interval.India would have started the day hoping to press on a post a big total, but they simply caved in against the guile of the second most prolific wicket-taker in test history.The 33-year-old took five wickets for 25 runs in his morning spell to move his total in tests to 572.India were on a high overnight after Sachin Tendulkar reached 100 not out to complete a world record 35th test hundred to surpass compatriot Sunil Gavaskar’s mark.Former captain Saurav Ganguly was with him on 39.The pair took their fourth wicket partnership to 121 runs, adding nine runs in the morning, when Muralitharan trapped both batsmen leg before wicket.Ganguly had added just one to his total when the left-handed batsman fell after failing to offer a stroke playing forward to a straight delivery.Tendulkar was beaten attempting to sweep a straight delivery pitched on leg-stump.He hit 14 fours and a six in his 196-ball innings, anchoring the innings for just over five hours for his 109 total.Muralitharan, who kept Sri Lanka in the frame on the opening day by dismissing captain Rahul Dravid (24) and Vangipurappu Laxman (69), proved too good for the Indian batsmen on a good Ferozeshah Kotla pitch.He bowled wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni (5) with a classic “doosra” delivery, had Irfan Pathan caught for a duck and completed his seven-wicket haul when he bowled last man Harbhajan Singh (7) to end a 19-run last wicket stand.Leg-spinner Malinga Bandara bowled superbly at the other end and took the other two wickets to fall in the morning, Yuvraj Singh (0) and Anil Kumble (8).Sri Lanka, who have yet to win a test in India, dominated the rain-marred first test in Chennai, which ended in a draw.-Nampa-Reuters