Lacklustre show by Indians in drawn SL tour game

The Indian bowlers again suffered, as Sri Lanka Board President's XI posted 260 for six in their second innings before the teams agreed to a draw, in the three-day tour match at the Colts Cricket Club Ground, in Colombo, on Thursday.

Lahiru Thirimanne punished the inexperienced Indian bowling attack with a cracking innings of 102 from 142 balls, which included nine boundaries and two sixes.

The 20-year-old left-hander, who hit a half-century in the first innings, was involved in an entertaining partnership of 113 runs in 95 balls for the second wicket with Dinesh Chandimal, who slammed 69 from a mere 56 balls, inclusive of nine boundaries and five sixes.

The only encouraging feature for India was the bowling of left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who claimed three for 85 in 22 overs to follow up on his five-wicket haul in the first innings, while Amit Mishra struggled for figures of one for 55.

Earlier, on Day 2, replying to the home team's mammoth first innings total of 514 for nine declared, the Indians were bundled out for 291 at the fag end of the day, mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis scalping six wickets for 67 runs in his 17.2 overs.

Yuvraj Singh marked his return to form with a sparkling century, scoring a measured 118, sharing a 143-run stand for the fifth wicket with Gautam Gambhir, who scored 89.

Scorecard

Sri Lanka BP XI (1st innings):
U Tharanga c Laxman b Ojha 110
R Thirimanne c Gambhir b Ojha 66
T Kandamby st ?Dhoni b Mishra 101
T Samaraweera c Gambhir b Ojha 102
P Jayawardene st Dhoni b Mishra 13
D Chandimal not out 47
K Silva b Sharma 19
M Senanayake lbw b Mithun 11
A Mendis b Ojha 10
C Welegedara lbw b Ojha 0
Extras: (lb-7, wd-2, nb-26) 35
Total: (for 9 wickets decl; in 104.3 ov) 514

Fall of wickets: 1-188, 2-209, 3-389, 4-418, 5-418,6-468, 7-484, 8-513, 9-514.

Bowling: I Sharma 23-3-104-1, A Mithun 25-2-99-1, A Mishra 26-1-125-2, V Sehwag 2-0-15-0, P Ojha 27.3-0-153-5, Yuvraj Singh 1-0-11-0.

Indians (1st innings):
G Gambhir c Tharanga b Mendis 89
V Sehwag b Welegedara 18
R Dravid b Welegedara 11
S Tendulkar lbw b Mendis 4
VVS Laxman c Jayawardene b Mendis 6
Yuvraj Singh b Senanayake 118
MS Dhoni c Kandamby b Senanayake 10
A Mishra lbw b Mendis 1
I Sharma c Senanayake b Mendis 5
P Ojha c Kandamby b Mendis 4
A Mithun not out 9
Extras: (b-5, lb-2, wd-1, nb-8) 16
Total: (all out in 64.2 overs) 291

Fall of wickets: 1-36, 2-59, 3-67, 4-80, 5-223, 6-241, 7-252, 8-273, 9-278.

Bowling: C Welegedara 10-1-45-2, D Fernando 12-1-55-0, M Senanayake 23-1-94-2, A Mendis 17.2-3-67-6, T Kandamby 2-0-23-0.

Sri Lanka BP XI (2nd innings):
U Tharanga c Laxman b Sharma 21
R Thirimanne c Sharma b Ojha 102
D Chandimal b Ojha 69
P Jayawardene c Laxman b Sehwag 12
K Silva c Dhoni b Ojha 4
T Samaraweera st Dhoni b Mishra 25
T Kandamby not out 9
M Senanayake not out 6
Extras: (nb-12) 12
Total: (for 6 wickets in 61.1 ov) 260

Fall of wickets: 1-27, 2-140, 3-172, 4-180, 5-243, 6-245.

Bowling: I Sharma 5-0-26-1, A Mithun 6-0-42-0, P Ojha 22-2-85-3, A Mishra 11.1-1-55-1, V Sehwag 16-2-52-1, VVS Laxman 1-1-0-0.