Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh claimed four quick Sri Lanka wickets in the final session on Friday as India took back the upper hand after two days of a fluctuating second Test. Sri Lanka was 215-5 in its first innings at stumps on day two, replying to India's 329. The hosts lost opener Michael Vandort in the first over before Malinda Warnapura and Kumar Sangakkara batted aggressively in a 133-run partnership for the second wicket. The comfort of 126-1 at tea was rapidly replaced by the precarious position at stumps as Harbhajan spun India back towards the win it needs to square the three-Test series and repair some damaged pride after a humiliating first Test defeat. "We did well today but would have been happy to have got another 100 runs on the board," Singh said. "If we take another one or two wickets within the first half hour (on Saturday) we have a good chance to control this match." Sri Lanka manager Charith Senanayake also said his team needed some early momentum on the third day. "We are hopeful if we can get a good partnership going we are back in the game. It's going to be a close call," Senanayake said. Sri Lanka's slide began in the seventh over of the last session when Warnapura (66) drove a Singh delivery to Gautam Gambhir at short cover, ending a 97-ball inning of 10 fours and a six. Singh struck again in his next over, snaring the dangerous Sangakkara (68), whose more patient approach had seen nine boundaries over 120 balls.Captain Mahela Jayawardena and Thilan Samaraweera added 48 runs but never looked comfortable on a pitch offering turn and bounce for the spinners.Harbhajan struck twice in the 53rd over. He trapped Samaraweera (14) lbw and three balls later had Tillakaratne Dilshan (0) caught bat-pad at forward short-leg. Samaraweera challenged the dismissal under trial laws being used in this series, but third umpire Gamini Silva agreed with on-field umpire Mark Benson and ruled him out. Earlier, spinner Ajantha Mendis (6-117) claimed a five-wicket haul in just his second Test to end India's first innings, which was highlighted by an imperious double-century from opener Virender Sehwag. "I am happy that I was able to take a five-wicket haul in my second Test match," Mendis said. "I knew that the batsmen were planning to attack me and that I should not lose heart when I get hit around." Sehwag was 201 not out when India's last wicket fell at lunch on the second day, bringing up the right-hander's fifth Test double-century. He also passed the 5,000 career Test-runs milestone in his 59th match. He amassed his double century from just 231 deliveries, studded with 22 fours and four sixes. India resumed the day at 214-4, and Sehwag shared 100 runs with VVS Laxman for the fifth wicket to steady India's innings after a middle-order slump. Mendis broke the partnership when he had Laxman caught by Samaraweera for 39, sparking a collapse that saw the visitors lose their last five wickets for just 51 runs.Sri Lanka can clinch the three-match series with victory in this Test, having won the first Test by an innings and 239 runs.
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