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Muralitharan puts Lanka on top

Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan grabbed four quick wickets to give Sri Lanka a slight advantage over Pakistan on the third day of the second cricket Test in Peshawar on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old from Kandy bowled with telling effect and holds the key as his team finished the day on 129-5, with an overall lead of 198.

Pakistan slumped to 199 all out in their first innings with Muralitharan causing most of the damage with 4-23 in his deadly spell after lunch.

Russel Arnold batted with authority and was at the crease with a polished 63 when bad light curtailed the day by three overs.

Aravinda de Silva, batting at number seven and with a runner due to hamstring injury, was unbeaten on 7.

Waqar Younis, who bowled only five overs on day one due to stomach and back problems, dismissed Sanath Jayasuriya (6) and Mahela Jayawardene (10) to restrict Sri Lanka's progress.

The Sri Lankan captain looked dangerous when he hit Shoaib Akhtar for a six to point but was trapped leg before.

Jayawardene accompanied Marvan Atapattu in a second wicket stand of 62. Atapattu made 29 with four fours before top edging Arshad Khan to Aamir Sohail at short mid-wicket.

Arnold punished the Pakistani bowlers to all parts of th field. He completed his fifty in 165 minutes hitting eight boundaries.

In Pakistan's innings captain Saeed Anwar hit a fine 74 while Inzamam-ul-Haq was left stranded at 58 not out as the home team lost seven wickets in the second session for just 46 runs. Pakistan conceded a lead of 69 runs.

Pakistan were well placed for a lead at lunch with 153-3 but Muralitharan, who finished with figures of 4-77, struck in the third over after the interval, claiming Younis Khan for 8.

"We spoiled a good chance of taking lead and then dictating terms through some irresponsible batting. Now we have to restrict them to make a match out of it," Pakistan captain Anwar said.

Khan, who made centuy on debut in the first Test, was ruled out caught at silly mid-off by English umpire John Hampshire after Sri Lankans appealed for a leg before.

Muralitharan snapped up Abdur Razzak's wicket in the same manner for nought leaving Pakistan struggling at 166-6.

In between Chaminda Vaas had Shahid Afridi for 4, caught off an uppish drive by Russel Arnold at covers.

Pakistan lost debutant Atiq-uz Zaman for 4 when he edged an outswinger from Pramodya Wickremasinghe to wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharana.

Muralitharan then fetched two wickets in his 37th over, forcing Waqar Younis (3) to give a bat pad catch at silly point and trapping Khan leg before for nought.

Inzamam, watching wickets fall from the other end, reached his 24th Test fifty in 204 minutes hitting seven boundries.

Last man Akhtar was bowled off a no ball by Wickremasinghe but failed to take advantage as two balls later he holed out at mid-off.

Inzamam's 58 came in 213 minutes with seven fours and a six.

Pakistan had resumed at overnight 67-1 and added 86 runs in the two and a half hour extended first session losing Yousuf Youhanna and Anwer. Youhanna was judged caught behind by umpire Mohammad Nazir off Vaas when television replays clearly showed the ball missed the bat.

Anwer reached his 23rd half century in 166 minutes off 136 balls hitting seven fours. Anwer's 241-minute knock produced 74 runs, including nine fours and a straight six off Sanath Jayasuriya. The bowler took his revenge three balls later when the Pakistani skipper holed out at mid-on attempting to repeat the shot.

The tourists made 268 in their first innings.

Sri Lanka won the first Test by a narrow margin of two wickets at Rawalpindi. The final Test will be played in Karcahi from March 12.