Cricket: Third Test drawn in acrimony

Sri Lanka . . . . . . . . . . .351 and 352-6

India . . . . . . . . . . . . .446

Match drawn

SRI LANKA and India drew the controversial third and final Test in Colombo yesterday with players from both sides trading accusations.

The hosts, who had started the final day 1-0 down in the series and on 132 for 1, finished on 352 for 6, having trailed India by 96 runs on the first innings. But the cricket was marred by more ill- feeling between players from both sides with allegations of ball tampering, sledging and damaging the wicket.

The only faint hope India had of pulling off victory came in the morning session when Anil Kumble dismissed Asanka Gurusinha and Aravinda de Silva in his fourth over of the morning, and Manoj Prabhakar followed with the wicket of Arjuna Ranatunga.

Sri Lanka had slumped to 157 for 4, but Mahanama (151) and Hashan Tillekeratne (86) checked the slide with a 132-run fifth-wicket partnership off 54 overs.

The series also drew complaints of bad umpiring, prompting a decision to appoint a neutral umpire to stand along with a local one during the tour by South Africa starting tomorrow.