Cricket: Indian hopes on the ebb

India's hopes of forcing a win in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Nagpur were hit by rain after Saurav Ganguly's 99 propelled the hosts to an impressive first-innings total of 485 all out at lunch on the third day.

Sri Lanka were unable to bat in reply as rain, which started during the lunch break, ended play for the day, with another four hours lost in addition to the three on the second day.

India won toss

INDIA - First Innings

(Overnight: 401 for 5)

S C Ganguly c Tillikeratne 99

A Kumble run out 78

J Srinath lbw b Jayasuriya 11

R K Chauhan c Vaas b Jayasuriya 1

A Kuruvilla lbw b Pushpakumara 0

N M Kulkarni not out 1

Extras (b8 lb13 nb12 w3) 36

Total (155 overs) 485

Fall (cont): 6-462 7-476 8-484 9-484.

Bowling: Vaas 31-3-80-2 (nb3); Pushpakumara 32-3-122-5 (nb4); Silva 28- 6-81-0 (nb1 w1); Muralitharan 46-9-137-0 (nb4); Ranatunga 1-0-8-0; Jayasuriya 16-4-32-2; Atapattu 1-0-4-0 (w2).

Sri Lanka: *A Ranatunga, S T Jayasuriya, M S Atapattu, R S Mahanama, P A de Silva, H P Tillakaratne, S K L de Silva, C J U P W Vaas, M Muralitharan, K R Pushpakumara, J K Silva.

Umpires: C Mitchley (SA) and V K Ramaswamy (Ind).