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COLOMBO: Rivals India and Sri Lanka blasted the featherbed wicket that proved a bowlers' graveyard after the second Test ended in a high-scoring draw on Friday.
"This one was very unsporting, there was nothing in it for the bowlers," said Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, whose team posted 707 in reply to Sri Lanka's first innings score of 642-4.
India's score was just 19 runs short of their Test record of 726-9 declared against the same opposition at the Brabourne stadium in Mumbai last year.
Sri Lanka made 129-3 in their second knock before play was called off an hour early with skipper Kumar Sangakkara on 42 and Thilan Samaraweera on 10.
The match was a poor advertisement for Test cricket in which 1,478 runs were scored for the loss of just 17 wickets on a flat pitch that offered no assistance to the bowlers.
There were five three-figure knocks over the five days, two of them double-centuries by Sangakkara and Sachin Tendulkar, besides a 99 from Indian opener Virender Sehwag.
"If there is nothing for fast bowlers in a wicket, it should at least help the spinners," said Dhoni. "This one was just for batsmen, while the bowlers got spanked all around the park.
"I am glad we took the lead because when the opposition bats first and puts up more than 600 runs on the board, there is always pressure on the team batting second.
"But we played well and built partnerships, so there are a lot of positives to take away from the Test."
India's innings was marked by Sachin Tendulkar's 203, his fifth double-century, while debutant Suresh Raina made 120 and Dhoni hit 76.
Sangakkara admitted it was "hard work" for the bowlers over the five days, but praised his team's all-round performance in the match.
"We batted and bowled well, maybe we need to buck up on the fielding," said the Sri Lankan captain, who was named man of the match for his 219.
Sri Lankan coach Trevor Bayliss said such dead wickets were unlikely to ever produce positive results in Tests.
"We need pitches which are good for batting and have something for the bowlers too," said Bayliss.
Sri Lanka now head for the final Test at the P. Sara Oval from Tuesday enjoying a 1-0 lead in the series after winning the first match in Galle by 10 wickets.
A 2-0 series scoreline will lift Sangakkara's men to the top of the official Test rankings, relegating current leaders India to second spot.
India will remain number one if they win or draw the Test.
India's last-wicket pair of Ishant Sharma and Pragyan Ojha, who resumed at the overnight score of 669-9, batted until 20 minutes before lunch on the final day to put on a partnership of 39 runs.
Sharma finally fell for 27, caught in the gully region off fast bowler Dilhara Fernando, leaving Ojha unbeaten on 18.
All four frontline Sri Lankan bowlers conceded more than 100 runs in India's innings, with debutant off-spinner Suraj Randiv going for 2-222 from 73 overs.
Unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis finished with 4-172, fast bowler Dilhara Fernando claimed 1-116 and seamer Dammika Prasad went for 0-101.
Part-time spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan was the only bowler to contain the Indians with figures of 3-56 from 27 overs.
- AFP/de
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