COLOMBO, July 20: Opener Gautam Gambhir scored an unbeaten half-century as India drew their rain-hit three-day tour match against a Sri Lanka Board XI here on Sunday.

The left-handed batsman hit six fours in his 60-run knock as the visitors ended day three on 129-2 after the hosts had declared their second innings on 247-6 in 55 overs at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground.

With the last session extended by an hour, former Test captains Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly managed to spend some time in the middle before the start of the first Test here at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground on Wednesday.

Dravid made 26 before being bowled by left-arm spinner Rangana Herath while Ganguly remained unbeaten on 26 off 47 balls on a day that was hit by a 50-minute rain interruption.

Paceman Dammika Prasad, who troubled the Indians in the first innings, picked the other wicket when he had Virender Sehwag (14) caught at deep square leg by Chamara Kapugedera.

For the hosts, Chamara Silva shone with the bat once again, making an unbeaten 59, with four fours and a six. Silva had made 69 in his team’s first innings total of 224.

Skipper Jehan Mubarak chipped in with a brisk 41 off 48 balls while Prasad exhibited his all-round skills with an unbeaten 43 off 53 balls.

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh picked two wickets while fast bowlers Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma and Munaf Patel took one each. Indian captain Anil Kumble did not bowl in the second innings.

The remaining Tests in the three-match series are scheduled for Galle from July 31 to Aug 4 before the teams head back to Colombo for the final Test at the R. Premadasa Stadium from Aug 8.

The Test series will be followed by five One-day Internationals, starting from Aug 18.

Scoreboard

SRI LANKA BOARD XI (1st Innings) 224 (S.H.T. Kandamby 84, L.P.C. Silva 68).

INDIA (1st Innings 196-8 declared (S.R. Tendulkar 69).

SRI LANKA BOARD XI (2nd Innings):

W.U. Tharanga c Karthik b Zaheer 5

M.L. Udawatte c Harbhajan b Sharma 15

J. Mubarak c Sehwag b Harbhajan 41

C.K. Kapugedera lbw b Patel 22

S.H.T. Kandamby c Tendukar b H’jan 27

L.P.C. Silva not out 59

J.K. Silva run out 13

K.T.G.D. Prasad not out 43

EXTRAS (B-7, NB-15) 22

TOTAL (for six decl, 55 overs) 247

FALL OF WKTS: 1-11, 2-29, 3-96, 4-100, 5-139, 6-173.

BOWLING: Zaheer Khan 13-2-61-1 (11nb); Sharma 9-1-36-1; Patel 9-1-33-1; Harbhajan Singh 16-4-53-2; Ganguly 1-0-12-0; Sehwag 6-1-41-0; Gambhir 1-0-4-0.

INDIA (2nd Innings):

V. Sehwag c Kapugedera b Prasad 14

G. Gambhir not out 60

R. Dravid b Herath 26

S.C. Ganguly not out 26

EXTRAS (B-5, NB-2) 7

TOTAL (for two wkts, 31 overs) 129

FALL OF WKTS: 1-21, 2-87.

BOWLING: de Silva 7-0-35-0 (2nb); Prasad 6-1-28-1; Kapugedera 3-1-4-0; Prasanna 8-0-31-0; Herath 6-0-23-1; Mubarak 1-0-3-0.

RESULT: Match drawn.

UMPIRES: H.D.P.K. Dharmasena and M.V.D. Zilva.—Agencies