Test debutant Suresh Raina struck a century and was involved in a 236-run partnership with Sachin Tendulkar as India averted a follow-on in the second cricket Test against Sri Lanka here Thursday. At lunch on the fourth day, India were 477 for four in their first innings, in reply to the hosts' 642 for four declared.

Tendulkar was batting on 152, while Raina, the ninth Indian to score a century on debut, was on 112 as India consolidated their innings at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground.

Resuming at the overnight score of 382 for four, India started cautiously as they needed 61 more runs to avoid the follow on.

The first four came from Tendulkar's bat as he pushed debutant off spinner Suraj Randiv through the cover boundary and then Raina smacked the lanky bowler for a huge six over long off.

The 23-year-old Raina hit two sixes and 11 fours in his 213-ball unfinished knock and got to his century with a fluent off-drive off seamer Dammika Prasad that went for a four.

Tendulkar also equalled West Indian Brian Lara's record of 19 scores of 150-plus. Australian legend Don Bradman did it on 18 occasions.

Prasad rattled Tendulkar with a short-pitched delivery that hit the batting maestro's helmet and raced to the boundary. Tendulkar's 261-ball stay was studded with a six and 20 fours.