Sri Lanka holds on for draw in second test

Reuters: Sri Lanka safely negotiated a draw on the final day of the second test against England at Lord’s on Tuesday after being set a daunting 343 from 58 overs to win.

The Sri Lankans, who collapsed for 82 in their second innings within 25 overs in the first of the three tests in Cardiff last week, reached 127 for three when play was called off.

Andrew Strauss declared the England second innings closed at 335 for seven after Alastair Cook had completed his sixth century in his last nine tests. It was also his third hundred in four innings after he fell four short of a century in the first innings.

Cook batted for more than five hours before he was finally stumped off left-arm spinner Rangana Herath for 106.

Kevin Pietersen, out in single figures in both his previous innings in the series, played with all his old authority to reach his half-century from 85 balls.

He was dismissed by Herath 10 minutes before lunch for 72 by a ball which spun sharply out of the rough to knock back his off stump.

Ian Bell then played a delightful cameo as England forced the pace, stroking three boundaries from his first four deliveries, and finishing with 57 not out from 43 balls as wickets tumbled at the other end.

When Sri Lanka batted, Kumar Sangakkara, opening the batting in place of captain Tillakaratne Dilshan who sustained a hairline fracture of his right thumb during an epic 193 in Sri Lanka’s first innings, was again out cheaply.

Sangakkara (12) pushed Chris Tremlett tamely to Eoin Morgan in the covers. His average of 26.6 in English conditions is 30 runs fewer than his overall test average.

Mahela Jayawardene, with two previous centuries at Lord’s, was caught at fourth slip by Pietersen off Stuart Broad for 25 from a ball which moved sharply away from the right-hander.

Graeme Swann, bowling with fielders clustered around the bat, appealed successfully for lbw when Thilan Samaraweera was struck on the pad after offering no shot.

However, Billy Doctrove’s decision was over-ruled when the batsman asked for a referral and the television replay showed the ball was missing off stump.

Strauss turned to Jonathan Trott for some variation and the part-time medium-pacer responded by dismissing the obdurate Tharanga Paranavitana lbw for 44 pushing forward to a straight delivery.

With 25 overs still remaining, Dilshan injured and a long Sri Lankan tail, Strauss turned to Steven Finn and Tremlett.

But the fast bowlers were unable to break through and the captains settled for a draw with 15 overs remaining. The final test starts in Southampton on June 16.

Prior reprimanded by ICC for smashed window

Matt Prior has received an ICC reprimand after accidently smashing a window in the Lord’s changing room on the final day of the second Test against Sri Lanka.

The incident occurred after Prior was run out for 4 in England’s search for quick runs before a declaration. When he returned to the dressing room a piece of equipment, first thought to be a glove but then discovered to be a bat, bounced up and smashed a pane of glass with the shards falling onto MCC members below and cutting the ankle of a lady in the pavilion.

Prior, accompanied by England captain Andrew Strauss, went and apologised to the members before England took the field and the ECB considered the mattered closed with no further action set to be taken. However, the incident was reported to Javagal Srinath, the ICC match referee, by the on-field umpires Billy Doctrove and Rod Tucker as well as third umpire Aleem Dar and fourth official Richard Illingworth.

Prior was charged with a Level 1 offence having breached clause 2.1.2 of the code of conduct which relates to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an international match”.

 Unsurprisingly, Prior didn’t contest the charge.

“Matt knows that his action was in breach of the code and he should be more careful in future,” Srinath said. “That said, it was clear that the damage he caused was purely accidental and without malice. It’s also noted that he apologised to the ground authority for the incident.”

Prior could have been hit with fine of up to 50% of his match fee but the incident won’t leave him out of pocket. It’s the same punishment that Ricky Ponting received after damaging a TV in the dressing during the World Cup match against Zimbabwe, in Ahmedabad, after he too had been run out. (www.espncricinfo.com)