The Jayawardenes — Mahela is on 46 not out and Prasanna on 5 not out — are at the crease with Chaminda Vaas to follow. “One more wicket and we are into the tail. But the key is to hold our catches and bowl in the right areas,” he said referring to two things that any cricketer will tell you are easier said than done.

But the interesting aspect of this match dominated by spinners is the wicket-takers. The two leading spinners in the world — Murali and Kumble — have bowled 49 unimpressive overs between them. While Kumble has been wicketless, Murali has just two tail-enders’ wickets to show. With the top two spinners not quite having it easy in Galle, the high-profile contest between the two grandmasters has been reduced to a duel between their seconds.

Both Mendis and Harbhajan had a point to make in this Test and they seem to have managed to do so forcefully. Mendis doesn’t seem to be having the second-Test blues as he finished with figures of 28-1-117-6. It’s a phenomenal achievement considering the bowler at the other end was Murali, someone who doesn’t believe in sharing the spoils at Galle.

The Harbhajan vs Mendis contest has made this Test a classic already and with three days to go, a result either way is almost a foregone conlusion. Unless, of course, the heavens open up.