The second Test laboured towards its predictable end but not without India scoring some brownie points. The tenth-wicket pair of Ishant Sharma and Pragyan Ojha, who had offered resistance in the defeat in Galle, repeated the feat with much more ease and kept the Sri Lankan bowlers at bay for 27 overs on the final morning. The vigil led India to their highest score in an overseas Test in what was also their longest innings away from home in terms of overs faced.
Kumar Sangakkara persisted with spin for the first hour and the batsmen survived a few close shaves: several lbw appeals though none were close enough, a run-out attempt and an edge that just fell short of slip. But Ishant and Ojha were largely comfortable, firm in defence, adept at picking Ajantha Mendis' variations on a slow pitch and committed to delay the Sri Lankan second innings. Runs came at a trickle, and the highlight for each batsman was an elegant cover drive for four.
The fast bowlers had a bit more to cheer, as they ruffled the tailenders with some short deliveries when brought on after the drinks break. Ojha preferred to back away than play from the crease, and Ishant, though more assured, eventually spooned a catch to gully off Dilhara Fernando to end Sri Lanka's frustration. Sangakkara, however, will be presumably discouraged that his bowling attack, irrespective of the match-winners missing from the first Test and the flat track on offer, took as long as it did to finish things off.
This was mainly a contest between two weakened bowling line-ups which Sri Lanka, despite their troubles on the final day, have had the better of. The three-wicket burst on the third morning by the spinners had given the visitors a genuine scare, and it could have got worse had Sachin Tendulkar, who was dropped on 29, and Suresh Raina, who survived a close lbw shout, not had their moments of fortune. Led by Harbhajan Singh, India's bowling has been dominated in both Tests; there is little to prop them up at the SSC, but a few chances created in these unforgiving conditions may just give them an element of encouragement ahead of the finale at the P Sara Stadium.