Summary Four-day tour match between Sri Lanka and Northamptonshire ended in a draw.
NORTHAMPTON (AFP) - Sri Lanka s final tour match before next week s first Test against England saw them draw with Northamptonshire at Northampton on Sunday.
A draw was always the most likely outcome after Saturday s third day of four was washed out without a ball bowled and became all but inevitable after Sri Lanka opted against enforcing the follow-on on Sunday.
Sri Lanka made 558 for eight declared with Lahiru Thirimanne -- captain for this match in the absence of the rested Angelo Mathews -- top-scoring with a career-best 156 after being dropped first ball and opener Kaushal Silva 152 before retiring hurt.
The hosts responded with 345 all out featuring Rob Keogh s 120 -- the first first-class hundred by a Northamptonshire batsman this season.
Paceman Dhammika Prasad (four for 68) and off-spinner Dilruwan Perera (four for 92), both battling for a Test place, were Sri Lanka s most successful bowlers.
Sri Lanka were 99 for four in their second innings, with Prasanna Jayawardene four not out and Dilruwan Perera nought not out, when a draw was agreed shortly after 5:00pm local time (1600GMT) with 17 overs left in the day s play.
Sri Lanka 558-8 dec (L Thirimanne 156, K Silva 152 ret no, D Perera 59; S Crook 3-98) and 99-4 drew with Northamptonshire 345 (R Keogh 120, R Levi 64; D Prasad 4-68, D Perera 4-92).
