ACE MURALI HAS INDIA ON RACK; SRI LANKA v INDIA.

AN Indian batting collapse left Sri Lanka in sight of an innings victory in the series deciding Third Test in Colombo yesterday.

India slumped from 169 for two wickets at tea to 217 for six in their second innings at close on the penultimate day at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground.

Hemang Badani was on eight and Sameer Dighe on four at stumps with India still 159 runs behind Sri Lanka's huge 376-run first innings lead.

Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan led the way with two wickets and some good fielding earned two run-outs to leave India waging a last-ditch battle.

Openers Shiv Sundar Das (68) and left-hander Sadagopan Ramesh (55) shared a 107-run partnership. But Muralitharan removed both batsmen.

Rahul Dravid was run out on 36 to a direct hit by Marvan Atapattu and Mohammad Kaif (5) went the same way 10 runs later.

Saurav Ganguly edged Thilan Samaraweera to slip for 30 and Sanath Jayasuriya bowled Sairaj Bahutule for a duck to reduce India to 211 for six.

Das, who made his second fifty of the match was lucky not to be given out when he was on 45 after his pull against Muralitharan looped to midwicket and Jayasuriya dived forward to claim a catch.

Umpire Asoka De Silva was unmoved, but television replays showed the ball had bounced off his boot.