Colombo Test heading for draw

COLOMBO // Suresh Raina stroked a memorable debut century and Sachin Tendulkar coasted to his fifth double hundred to lift India to a massive total of 669 for nine in the second Test against Sri Lanka on Thursday. India ended the fourth day 27 runs ahead and with only one day remaining the second match in the three-Test series was heading for a certain draw. Part-time spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan enlivened the dull proceedings in the final session when he grabbed three wickets for 50 runs. He sent back Tendulkar for 203 and Harbhajan Singh for a duck in his ninth over and ended the resistance of Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for 76 when he held a brilliant return catch. Sri Lanka also dismissed Abhimanyu Mithun for 41 when Ajantha Mendis bowled him as he tried to paddle sweep a straight ball. Raina and Tendulkar carried their overnight partnership to 256 runs, an Indian record against Sri Lanka for the fifth wicket, before Raina, on 120, drove off-spinner Mendis to short midwicket. Tendulkar, who hit 23 fours and a six, was dismissed after tea when he attempted a glance and was caught off bat and pad by wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene who had missed him on 29. Sri Lanka lead the series 1-0 following their 10-wicket victory in the first Test in Galle. * Reuters

At stumps on the fourth day of the second Test between Sri Lanka and India at Sinhalese Sports Club. Sri Lanka 1st Innings: 642-4 declared India 1st Innings (Overnight 382-4) Murali Vijay lbw b Mendis 58 Virender Sehwag st P Jayawardene b Randiv 99 Rahul Dravid lbw b Randiv 3 Sachin Tendulkar c P.Jayawardene b Dilshan 203 VVS Laxman lbw b Mendis 29 Suresh Raina c Sangakkara b Mendis 120 Mahendra Singh Dhoni c and b Dilshan 76 Harbhajan Singh c Sangakkara b Dilshan 0 Abhimanyu Mithun b Mendis 41 Ishant Sharma not out 10 Pragyan Ojha not out 0 Extras: (9b, 5lb, 12nb, 4w) 30 TOTAL: (for 9 wickets) 669. Overs: 198. Batting time: 830 minutes. Fall of wickets: 1-165, 2-169, 3-173, 4-241, 5-497, 6-592, 7-592, 8-643, 9-668. Bowling: Dammika Prasad 19-1-96-0 (4nb), Dilhara Fernando 31-1-116-0 (5nb, 3w), Angelo Mathews 9-1-24-0 (1w), Suraj Randiv 64-14-212-2, Ajantha Mendis 54-7-157-4 (3nb), Tillakaratne Dilshan 21-4-50-3. Umpires: Daryl Harper and Rod Tucker, Australia TV Umpire: Ranmore Martinesz, Sri Lanka Match Referee: Andy Pycroft, Zimbabwe. Toss: won by Sri Lanka. Series: Sri Lanka leads three-match series 1-0.