Kusal Perera (51), Upul Tharanga (50) and Dinesh Chandimal (60) all essayed useful fifties to help Sri Lanka post 212 for 5 in their second innings as their three-day warm-up match against South African Invitation XI ended in a tame draw. The visitors were 296 runs in front at stumps on Day 3.

Tharnaga and Perera stitched a 91-run stand for the opening wicket to provide Sri Lanka a solid start. The openers then retired out to give rest of the batsmen a hit out in the middle before the first Test against South Africa at Port Elizabeth, commencing on Monday (December 26).

Chandimal, who came out to bat at No.3, then composed a breezy 52-ball 60 before he was prised out by Leus du Plooy. Angelo Mathews also notched up a useful hand of 37 before falling to Bjorn Fortuin. Just before umpires called stumps, Fortuin also dislodged Kusal Mendis.

Earlier, Nuwan Pradeep took the wickets of George Linde (25) and Lwandiswa Zuma (0) as the Invitation XI were bundled out for 289. In fact, the hosts could bat for only 2.5 overs on Day 3.

Riding on fifties by Dimuth Karunaratne (71), Kaushal Silva (80), Kusal Mendis (51) and Dhananjaya de Silva (62), Sri Lanka had notched up an impressive 373 in their first essay. Duanne Olivier, the 24-year-old seamer from Free State, bagged four wickets for the Invitation XI.

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 373 (Kaushal Silva 80, Dimuth Karunaratne 71; Duanne Olivier 4-54) and 212/5 (Dinesh Chandimal 60, Kusal Perera 51; Bjorn Fortuin 2-36) drew with South African Invitation XI 289 (Leus du Plooy 142; Nuwan Pradeep 3-41)

(Cricbuzz)