Herath leads Sri Lanka's fightback

India were dismissed for 642 in their first innings after tea on Day 2 of the second Test against Sri Lanka on Wednesday.

Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath led Sri Lanka's fightback close to the interval, grabbing five quick wickets to cap a comeback by the visiting spinners.

He first had Vangipurappu Laxman caught for 63 and then bowled skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (4) as well as Harbhajan Singh (5), who was dismissed the last ball before tea.

Herath took three for 118. India added 104 runs after resuming on their lunch score of 535 for four, still looking to bat Sri Lanka out of the game.

Laxman raised 102 runs with Yuvraj for the fifth wicket before holing out Herath to wide mid off.

The left-arm spinner then beat both Dhoni and Harbhajan with deliverie

In the post lunch session, Herath accounted for Zaheer Khan (1) and S Sreesanth (0), to wrap the Indian innings after 154 overs.

He had the Indian pacer caught by Mahela Jayawardene at first slip, and three deliveries later had Sreesanth trapped leg before wicket.

Herath finished with figures of five for 121.

Earlier, Rahul Dravid (144) notched up his 28th century as India lost two wickets in the morning session before reaching 535 for four at lunch.

Dravid reached his 28th Test century with a straight driven four off Chanaka Welegedara and once he reached the milestone, the former India captain added another feather in his already well-adorned cap when he overtook Allan Border (11,174) in the Test run accumulators' chart. 

Dravid (11,182) now sits fourth in the list topped by Tendulkar (12,917). 

That achieved, a flurry of boundaries flew from Dravid's blade as he punched Muralitharan through covers, played a delectable late cut off the wily offie, smacked Mendis over the top and then stepped out to hit Rangana Herath for a clean six.

Laxman also got into groove without a fuss but was lucky to stay put after a freak incident that cost Dravid his wicket. 

Laxman uppishly drove Herath but the spinner could not latch on to the return catch. He went for it but ball ricocheted off his palm to hit the wicket with Dravid caught short of ground. 

It was a sad end to Dravid's 226-ball knock that included 15 hits to the fence besides a six.

Resuming on 417 for two, overnight batsmen Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar (40) were content nudging and tapping along.

Tendulkar had his fair share of luck as well but he could not make it count.

On 29, Tendulkar chipped Ajantha Mendis and Tillakaratne Dilshan, hurling himself to left, almost pulled off a blinder before the ball popped out of his palm.

Tendulkar then decided to unsettle Mendis and stepped out to hit him over his head for a neat six.

Four balls later, Mendis had his revenge.

Tendulkar came sashaying down the track again but did not get the elevation and chipped it to Thilan Samaraweera at deep mid-off.

This was the end of his 94-run third wicket partnership with Dravid.

Yuvraj Singh looked ill at ease against Muralitharan but smote Mendis for a massive six to assert himself and then sent a Muralitharan delivery soaring over midwicket for a huge six.

Laxman also notched up his fifty with consummate ease but missed his century when Rangana Herath had him caught by Dilshan.

Laxman and Yuvraj raised 102 runs for the fifth wicket.

At tea, Yuvraj was not out on 66.

However the left-hander, who hit two sixes and four boundaries scoring 67 in 105 deliveries, was taken at midwicket by Sangakkara off Ajantha Mendis soon after tea.

Zaheer Khan claimed the wicket of Tillakaratne Dilshan with the first delivery of the innings to deal Sri Lanka an early blow in their first innings.

The left-arm pacer's first ball was shortish and well outside leg stump, but Dilshan closed the face of the bat too early, thereby getting a leading edge and debutant Pragyan Ojha made no mistake at mid-on.

Captain Kumar Sangakkara (30 not out) and Tharanga Paranavitana (30 not out) rallied the innings after that early dismissal to take Sri Lanka through the day's play without any further damage.

The visitor's go into day three at 66 for one.