Cricket: Rain saves Sri Lanka and ensures deadlocked series

India 512 and 181-9 dec

Sri Lanka 361 and 166-7

Match drawn

India had to settle for a draw in the third and final Test against Sri Lanka in Bombay yesterday after rain cut short their effort to secure a win.

The Indians had reduced Sri Lanka to 166 for 7 in their second innings after tea on the final day when a light drizzle halted play with 12 overs remaining.

The Indian spinners Anil Kumble and Rajesh Chauhan each claimed three wickets but could not help India break the deadlock in the three-match series which ended 0-0.

The Sri Lankans, needing 333 to win, gave up their run chase when they lost their openers Sanath Jayasuriya and Marvan Atapattu, who put on 51 in the first hour, before lunch and Aravinda De Silva and Roshan Mahanama before tea.

Fifth and final day; Sri Lanka won toss

INDIA - First Innings 512 (S C Ganguly 173, S R Tendulkar 148, R S Dravid 93).

SRI LANKA - First Innings 361 (M S Atapattu 98, P A de Silva 66).

INDIA - Second Innings 181 for 9 dec (R S Dravid 85).

SRI LANKA - Second Innings

(Overnight: 6 for 0)

S T Jayasuriya c Tendulkar b Kumble 37

M S Atapattu c Kumble b Chauhan 31

R S Mahanama lbw Chauhan 35

P A de Silva c Chauhan b Srinath 18

*A Ranatunga b Chauhan 12

K D P K Dharmasena c Azharuddin

b Kumble 8

H P Tillakaratne not out 18

S K L De Silva c Prasad b Kumble 0

W P U J C C Vaas not out 0

Extras (lb2 nb5)7

Total (for 7) 166

Fall: 1-58 2-73 3-106 4-133 5-146 6-160 7-166.

Did not bat: G P Wickramasinghe, K S Pushpakumara.

Bowling: Srinath 15-5-25-1 (nb1); Prasad 8-3-23-0; Chauhan 26-9-59-3 (nb2); Kuruvilla 3-2-1-0; Kumble 28-13-56-3 (nb2); Tendulkar 2-2-0-0.

Umpires: A V Jayprakash (Ind) and S A Bucknor (WI).