Cook century but Lord’s Test ends in draw
(REUTERS) – Alastair Cook’s century was in vain as Sri Lanka safely negotiated a draw on the final day of the second Test against England at Lord’s after being set a daunting 343 from 58 overs to win yesterday. 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.
Skipper Andrew Strauss declared the England second innings closed at 335 for seven after Cook had completed his sixth century in his last nine Tests and 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, before 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, but 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, with the final Test starting at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on June 16.

SCORECARD
England 1st innings 486
Sri Lanka 1st innings 479
England 2nd innings                       
A. Strauss
lbw b Welegedara     0                   
A. Cook
stp. H. Jayawardene b Herath     106                   
I. Trott
b Herath     58                   
K. Pietersen
b Herath     72                   
I. Bell
not out     57                   
E. Morgan
c Lakmal b Fernando     4                   
M. Prior†
run-out      4                   
S. Broad
c H. Jayawardene b Fernando     3                   
Extras:    (lb-12, w-1, nb-18)    31                   
Total:    (for 7 wickets, dec’d off 78.1)    335   

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-117, 3-244, 4-305, 5-312, 6-319, 7-335.
Bowling: Welegedara 10-1-50-1 (nb-3), Lakmal 17-0-70-0 (nb-7, w-1), Maharoof 7-0-24-0 (nb-2), Fernando 20.1-2-90-2 (nb-6), Herath 24-2-87-3.

SRI LANKA 2nd innings
T. Paranavitana lbw Trott 44
K. Sangakkara c Morgan b Tremlett 12
D. Jayawardene c Pietersen b Broad 25
T. Samaraweera not out 17
H. Jayawardene not out 12
Extras: (b-7, lb-3, w-6, nb-1) 17
Total: (for 3 wickets, off 43 overs) 127
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-66, 3-96.
Bowling: Tremlett 9-1-31-1 nb-1), Broad 9-2-29-1 (w-1), Swann 12-2-19-0, Finn 8-2-31-0 (w-1), Pietersen 1-0-2-0.