Battling England draw second Test with Sri Lanka

England's batsmen shone under pressure to draw the second cricket Test against Sri Lanka here on Thursday and keep their hopes alive in the three-match series.

The tourists, needing to bat out the fifth day after trailing by 197 runs on the first innings, played solidly to move to 250-3 in their second knock by tea before rain washed out the final session.

England now head for the final Test in Galle from next Tuesday seeking a series-levelling win after losing the first Test in Kandy by 88 runs last week.

Alastair Cook, captain Michael Vaughan and Ian Bell hit half-centuries to keep the Sri Lankans at bay on a dead pitch where just 22 wickets fell over the five days.

Cook (62) shared an opening stand of 107 with Vaughan (61), their second successive century partnership in the match after putting on 133 in the first innings.

Vaughan was the lone batsman to be dismissed before lunch when he offered an easy return catch to fast bowler Dilhara Fernando.

Cook fell off the first ball after resumption, edging part-timer Chamara Silva to skipper Mahela Jayawardene at first slip.

Bell (54) put on 52 for the third wicket with Kevin Pietersen when he holed out against Muttiah Muralitharan, reducing the tourists to 204-3 midway through the afternoon session.

Pietersen (45 not out) and Paul Collingwood prevented further setbacks to ensure the tourists emerged unscathed as heavy rain hit the stadium during the tea break.

Umpires Daryl Harper and Aleem Dar waited till 30 minutes into the final session before informing the rival captains that no further play was possible.

Sri Lanka had won 10 of their last 12 Tests at the Sinhalese Sports Club, but the slow wicket ensured there was no threat from champion spinner Muralitharan.

The off-spinner, who surpassed Australian Shane Warne's tally of 708 wickets to become Test cricket's most successful bowler during the Kandy Test, took 1-58 from 27 overs.