India-SL second Test ends in a dull draw

Agencies

Colombo, 30 July 2010: The second Test between Sri Lanka and India ended in a tame draw on Friday after 1,478 runs and just 17 wickets over five days of cricket. Sri Lanka declared its second innings at 129-3 and both captains decided to end the match just 13 overs after tea on the final day with no hope of a result on the batting paradise at Sinhalese Sports Club.

 

The hosts declared their first innings on 642-4, including three centuries from Kumar Sangakkara (219), Mahela Jayawardene (174) and Tharanga Paranavitana (100). India then racked its highest score on foreign soil at 707 with centuries from Sachin Tendulkar (203) and debutant Suresh Raina (120). Sri Lanka leads 1-0 going into the final test starting on Tuesday at Colombo.

 

 

India needed to quickly run through Sri Lanka’s top order on Friday to force a result, but openers Tharanga Paranavitana (34) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (14) put on 50 for the first wicket to all but end hopes of a result. However, India bowlers picked up three wickets for 47 runs before tea. India’s massive total was largely built around Tendulkar’s fifth Test double hundred while Raina made a debut century.

 

Virender Sehwag (99), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (76) and Murali Vijay (58) added half-centuries. It was India’s highest total away from home, surpassing its previous record of 705-7 against Australia in Sydney in 2004, and its second highest ever, surpassed only by the 726-9 against Sri Lanka last December in Mumbai.

 

Spinner Ajantha Mendis returned 4-172 for Sri Lanka. In Tendulkar’s record 48th century, he shared a 256-run stand for the fifth wicket with Raina, who became the ninth Indian to score a century on debut.