Sri Lanka settle for draw

Second Test, Kandy, final day: New Zealand 305 & 183 drew with Sri Lanka 298 & 72-1
Series ends 0-0

Match scorecard

Kaluwitharana catches Fleming off Dharmasena

Photos from Kandy

The second and final Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand ended in a draw after the hosts decided against a run chase.

Sri Lanka were set an achievable 191 to win off 38 overs but they lost former skipper Sanath Jayasuriya for nine and played out the draw instead.

Jayasuriya had briefly gone after the target, smashing two fours, but he was out attempting another big hit off Shane Bond's bowling.

And with Sri Lanka already missing batsman Marvan Attapatu, who was injured in a collision with Daniel Vettori, they decided not to risk defeat.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming admitted he was disappointed Sri Lanka did not try to achieve a result.

"I thought they would have been more aggressive with us in their own backyard," said Fleming.

"It was a pretty poor end to the Test match to be honest. We didn't have the ability to push on this morning and they didn't seem to want to win the Test.

There is a long way to go as I want to play until 2007 and get to 600

Muttiah Muralitharan

"They had nothing to lose and I can't understand why they were not willing to push on further. We were certainly not going to bowl them out in 38 overs."

Earlier Muttiah Muralitharan took 5-49 as the Black Caps' slumped to 183 all out.

They had started the day on 92-1 but capitulated and were bowled out just before the tea interval.

Muralitharan's haul was his 37th five-wicket analysis in a Test innings - a new world record - and brought up his 450th Test scalp.

The 30-year-old spinner trails only West Indies fast bowler Courtney Walsh (519) and Australian leg spinner Shane Warne (491) on the list of all-time Test wicket-takers.

And he insisted he was intent on reaching 600 Test victims before he hung up his boots.

"To reach 450 wickets here, in Kandy where I grew up, is very special for me," said Muralitharan.

"I am happy but there is a long way to go as I want to play until 2007 and get to 600."

But he admitted he was facing a tall order.

"It is not easy to get wickets now in Test cricket, people have worked me out like they do any world class bowler," said Muralitharan.

---

New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (captain), Matthew Horne, Mark Richardson, Mathew Sinclair, Scott Styris, Robbie Hart, Jacob Oram, Daryl Tuffey, Daniel Vettori, Paul Wiseman, Shane Bond.

Sri Lanka: Hashan Tillakaratne (captain), Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardena, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Dharmasena, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Chaminda Vaas, Prabath Nissanka.