17 Jun 2014

Sri Lanka hold on for a draw

12:54 pm on 17 June 2014

The Sri Lankan cricketers have held on for a dramatic draw in the first Test against England at Lord's.

Sri Lanka's last-wicket pair batted out the final five balls to save the match.

Umpire Paul Reiffel gave Nuwan Pradeep out lbw to apparently hand England victory on the penultimate ball, but Sri Lanka used the decision review system to reveal an inside edge, and when an outside edge off the last ball landed inches short of second slip, the tourists had survived.

The result means the teams will head to the second and final Test at Headingley this weekend with the series all square.

The match appeared to be drifting towards a stalemate when Sri Lanka, chasing 390 for victory, reached 164 for three at tea.

But an amazing final session, in which six wickets fell for 37 runs in fading light, put England on the cusp of victory.