NEW DELHI, 14 December 2005 — Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble bagged two quick wickets as India looked set yesterday for an easy win in the second Test against Sri Lanka at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground.

Kumble, who claimed six wickets in the first innings, struck twice as Sri Lanka stuttered to 123-5 in their second innings at close on the fourth day after being set an improbable 436-run target by India.

Mahela Jayawardene (nine) was the not out batsman after off-spinner Harbhajan Singh added to Sri Lanka’s misery by dismissing Thilan Samaraweera for a duck. With his wicket play was called off for the day.

Sri Lanka, who are still 313 runs adrift of their target, have a full day to play out on a slow pitch after India declared their second innings on 375-6 after gaining a 60-run first innings lead.

In their reply the visitors lost the early wicket of left-hander Avishka Gunawardene (nine), trapped leg-before by seamer Irfan Pathan.

After a brief fightback by skipper Marvan Atapattu (67) and Kumar Sangakkara (33), who added 79 for the second wicket, Sangakkara was dismissed by Ajit Agarkar as he edged one to wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni and Sri Lanka soon fell from 109-1 to 123-5.

Kumble accounted for Atapattu and night watchman Malinga Bandara (zero) to stifle the visitors’ hopes. Atapattu struck 11 fours before being caught and bowled by Kumble and Bandara was trapped leg-before by the experienced spinner four deliveries later.

No side has ever successfully chased such a big score in the fourth innings of a Test. The record was 418 by the West Indies against Australia in 2003.

There have been only two other instances of teams chasing more than 400 for a Test win. Earlier, Yuvraj Singh and Dhoni slammed unbeaten half-centuries for India.

Yuvraj hit a compact 77 and Dhoni a brisk 51 in a 104-run unbroken stand for the seventh wicket that lasted just an hour.

Runs came briskly as the home side pushed for a win on a venue where they have won their last five Tests.

Yuvraj faced 168 balls during his impressive knock in which he hit 10 fours while wicketkeeper-batsman Dhoni played 52 balls — hitting five fours and two sixes, both off leg-spinner Bandara.

Dhoni, who got to his maiden fifty in his second Test with his second six, survived a chance on 28 when Dilhara Fernando dropped him at long on off the same bowler.

Earlier, Yuvraj added 81 for the sixth wicket with overnight partner Saurav Ganguly (39) to keep the pressure on the visiting side.

Former captain Ganguly scored 17 Tuesday morning before edging a ball from ace spinner Muttiah Muralitharan on to his stumps.

The first Test in Madras ended in a draw while the third and final match starts in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

Security Blanket for England Cricketers in Karachi

In Karachi, Stringent security measures are in place for the third One-Day International between Pakistan and England in Karachi, a venue snubbed by non-Asian touring sides since 2001 because of safety concerns.

About 3,000 police and paramilitary forces will guard the National Stadium and the teams’ hotel. The teams will be provided with blanket security when traveling from the hotel to the ground.

A bomb blast in the vicinity of the team hotel last month killed five people.

“We have made extremely tight security arrangements for the match,” Maj. Gen. Javed Zia, director general of the paramilitary forces, told reporters.

“We know this is a very important match for the city and we want to ensure nothing is left to chance.” The National Stadium will be hosting its first international match against a non-Asian side since England played a Test in the city in December 2000.

Since then Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka have played in Karachi, which has been rejected as a venue by New Zealand, West Indies, Australia and South Africa over concerns for their players’ safety.

In May 2000 a car bomb explosion led to New Zealand calling off a Test match and leaving for home.

England refused to play a Test in Karachi on the current tour but agreed to a one-dayer. The team will stay in the city for less than 48 hours after arriving this afternoon.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) director Abbas Zaidi told Reuters: “This match is even more important than the one we had against India last year.

Because once this match is played successfully, other teams will also not hesitate to play here.” Last year India played a one-dayer in the city, which was a roaring success. India are due to play one Test and one one-day game in Karachi on a tour early next year.