Tendulkar helps erase deficit, first Test heads for a draw

Sachin Tendulkar scored a patient unbeaten fifty to steer India to a narrow seven-run lead as the hosts reached 341 for four at tea against Sri Lanka on the final day of the first Test, which is heading for a draw on Friday.

Trailing the visitors by a massive 334 runs in the first innings, India wiped off the deficit in the last over before tea to go into the break.

Tendulkar was unconquered on 55 from 143 balls with six fours and also completed 30,000 runs in the three forms of international cricket during his 192-minute stay while VVS Laxman was giving him company on 28.

The two batsmen out on Friday were nightwatchman Amit Mishra for 24 in the pre-lunch period and opener Gautam Gambhir who notched up his seventh Test century before departing for 114.

Mishra, sent in at the fall of Rahul Dravid's wicket, stuck to his task for over 45 minutes after India started the day 144 runs behind the Lankans at 190 for two.

The leg-spinner was dismissed by Sri Lanka all rounder Angelo Mathews, caught brilliantly at leg gully by Tillakaratne Dilshan who took a stunning diving catch.

Tendulkar straightaway started stroking the ball sweetly as he cover-drove the accurate and miserly Mathews for a four and then hit danger man Muttiah Muralitharan for successive fours in one over.

Gambhir, batting solidly from the other end, also opened out and raced to his hundred by hitting left-arm spinner Rangana Herath for two fours before he glanced Mathews to the rope.

It was his first hundred against Sri Lanka. India lost Gambhir in the sixth over of the second session.

He was lured by a well-tossed up ball from left-arm spinner Rangana Herath and, in trying to hit it into the vacant leg side area, got the leading edge to be caught at mid-off by Dammika Prasad.

It was the Delhi left-hander's third hundred this year and in as many Tests since making his marathon match-saving 137 against New Zealand at Napier in March.

The ICC Test Player of the Year faced 230 balls and struck 13 fours in his six and a half-hour stay.

Tendulkar was joined by Laxman and the duo ensured that no further wickets were given away to either pace or spin by forging a cautious fifth wicket partnership worth 66 runs in 146 balls by tea.

Tendulkar reached yet another landmark in his glittering career when he turned swing bowler Chanaka Welegedara backward of square for a single to take his tally of runs in Tests, ODIs and T20 internationals to 30,000.

u00a0