GALLE // India moved into a position of strength on the third day of the second Test after Harbhajan Singh's six-wicket haul had skittled out Sri Lanka 37 runs short of the visitor's first inning total.
India were 200-4 when bad light stopped play early, extending their lead to 237 with six second innings wickets in hand on a pitch that is expected to favour the spin bowlers in the next two days.
Sri Lanka resuming on 215-5 lost their remaining five wickets for 77 runs to finish on 292 and the Indian openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir pushed the advantage with a 90-run stand.
The partnership ended when Sehwag, going for a full-blooded cover drive against Chaminda Vaas, was brilliantly picked up by Tillekaratne Dilshan who held a head-high catch at short cover.
Sehwag got off to his customary explosive start and hit six fours and one six in his 52-ball knock half century.
Gambhir was bowled by Ajantha Mendis for 74 when he left a ball that took the top of off-stump.
He hit ten fours and his dismissal brought Sachin Tendulkar at the crease. Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid got their eye in, but left in quick succession minutes before play ended early owing to bad light.
Vaas had Sachin Tendulkar caught by Mahela Jayawardene at slip for 31 and Dravid followed, adjudged leg before for 44 by the third umpire against a full ball from spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who bowled 21 overs to get his first wicket.
Gambhir said he was disappointed that he missed out on a possible hundred but added that he was pleased with the end of the day's play.
"We have set the game up for our bowlers and it won't be easy to see the pitch as a batting track. We need just one more partnership and a target of 350 can set the game up for us", said the left handed opener.
The Sri Lanka skipper Jayawardene acknowledged that India were at an advantage at the end of the day but hinted that his team was just a wicket or two away from making a contest of it.
"If we can get some early wickets (on the fourth day) then we can be in it," said Jayawardene. "We are looking for possibilities to get back and we can get even 400 (to win). That's the attitude we have."
Earlier, Jayawardene top scored for the Sri Lankans, who batted laboriously in the first session of play to push the first innings total as close as possible to India's 329. The Sri Lankan skipper faced 188 deliveries for his 86 that contained 10 hits to the fence.
The India captain Anil Kumble made his first impression of the tour by claiming three wickets. He struck twice in successive overs to remove overnight batsman Prasanna Jayawardene and Vaas, and later had his counterpart caught behind by Dinesh Karthik, who took a sharp catch on his second attempt.
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How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Dubai World Cup Carnival Card:
6.30pm: Handicap US$135,000 (Turf) 1,200m
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
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8.15pm: Cape Verdi Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m
8.50pm: Handicap $135,000 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap $175,000 (T) 1,600m
North Pole stats
Distance covered: 160km
Temperature: -40°C
Weight of equipment: 45kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 0
Terrain: Ice rock
South Pole stats
Distance covered: 130km
Temperature: -50°C
Weight of equipment: 50kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300
Terrain: Flat ice
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
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- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
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Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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