COLOMBO: The second Test between India and Sri Lanka meandered to a tame high-scoring draw on Friday with a staggering 1478 runs being scored over five days on a track which proved to be graveyard for bowlers.
Scorecard | Match in Pics
With little interest left on a dreary last day, the Indians scored a mammoth 707 all out in the first innings, recording their second-highest total ever largely due to a dogged resistance by the last wicket pair of Ishant Sharma (27) and Pragyan Ojha (17).
The hosts then scored 129 for three in their second innings before both the captains decided to call off play, bringing an end to a dull Test completely dominated by the batsmen with just 17 wickets falling.
The drawn result meant that India retained their number one position in the ICC's Test rankings as the hosts needed to win the match to dislodge the visitors from top of the table.
The third and final Test will begin at the P Sara Oval here from August 3 with the hosts leading the series 1-0 after winning the first Test in Galle by ten wickets.
The track at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground, which came in from much flak, hardly gave any assistance to the bowlers which made life extremely easy for the batsmen as was evident with as two double centuries and three centuries being scored.
Resuming at 669 for nine, Sharma and Ojha almost survived the opening session of the final day as India's first innings folded for 707 about 15 minutes from the break.
India bettered its highest total abroad by two runs as they had made 705 against Australia in Sydney in 2004.
It was also India's second highest total, the highest being 726 for 9 declared against the same opponents in Mumbai last year.
Sharma and Ojha shared the longest tenth-wicket partnership for India in terms of balls faced by number 10 and 11 batsmen as they resisted for 174 balls. They bettered their own mark of 92 balls at Galle during the first Test.
Paceman Dilhara Fernando ended Sri Lanka's agonising wait when he had Sharma caught at gully by Kumar Sangakkara.
Sharma's 27 runs came off 117 balls with help of one boundary while Ojha consumed 92 balls for his unbeaten 17 and helped himself with one boundary.
Ojha survived a couple of leg before appeals from Ajantha Mendis and took a sharp blow on the helmet off Dammika Prasad in his defiant knock.
Sharma played with confidence and straight bat until he played an uppish cut off Fernando and found Sangakkara at gully.
Sri Lanka, who trailed by 65 runs, lost Tharanga Paranavitana (34), Tillakaratne Dilshan (14) and Mahela Jayawardene (5) in the post lunch session.
Abhimanyu Mithun drew first blood by having Dilshan caught at short mid-wicket and then Laxman caught Paranavitana in the slip cordon off Harbhajan Singh.
Part time spinner Virender Sehwag trapped Jayawardene minutes before the second break of the day.
Captain Kumar Sangakkara (42 not out) and Thilan Samaraweera (10 not out) ensured that there were no further setbacks before both the captains decided to call off play.
