COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's spinners, led by Rangana Herath, put in an impressive performance as the second Test against the West Indies ended in a draw on the fifth and final day Saturday. Left-armer Herath removed Dwayne Bravo, Sulieman Benn and Carlton Baugh (50) as the West Indies was bowled out for 243 in its first innings just before tea in reply to Sri Lanka's 387-9 declared. Sri Lanka declared its second innings on 57-1, with Tharanga Paranavitana scoring 20 not out and skipper Kumar Sangakkara one not out. Opener Tillakaratne Dilshan (26) was the lone batsman to be dismissed, caught behind off Bravo. The West Indies, set an improbable 202-run target off 21 overs, lost openers Chris Gayle (three) and Adrian Barath (eight) before reaching 12-2 in its second innings when play was called off due to bad light. Spinner Ajantha Mendis trapped Barath leg-before and part-time spinner Dilshan had Gayle caught by former captain Mahela Jayawardene at first slip. The three-Test series is tied 0-0 after the drawn matches in Galle and Colombo. The final Test starts in Pallekele Wednesday. West Indies wicketkeeper Baugh earlier hit six fours in his second Test half-century to help his team avoid the follow-on. The tourists, resuming at 165-5 after rain washed out the morning session, slipped from 205-5 to 209-8 in the afternoon, with Herath taking two wickets and debutant paceman Suranga Lakmal one. The West Indies started the day needing 23 runs with five wickets in hand to make Sri Lanka bat again and it reached the target comfortably as Bravo (20) and Baugh played cautiously in the early stages. Bravo later executed some handsome shots, lofting Lakmal over mid-on for a four and then hitting Herath for a four and a six in the same over. Herath got his first wicket of the innings when he had Bravo stumped in his next over after the batsman had added 44 runs for the sixth wicket with Baugh. Skipper Darren Sammy, out for a duck in his only innings of the drawn opening Test in Galle, failed again, contributing just two runs before being caught by Angelo Mathews at square-leg while pulling Lakmal. Benn fell for nought, caught by Paranavitana at forward short-leg off Herath. – Agence France
