Indian Board President's XI openers Robin Uthappa and Shikhar Dhawan hit fifties against a struggling Sri Lanka [Images] on the rain-hit second day of their three-day game in Bangalore on Sunday.

Uthappa hit a breezy 76 and left-hander Dhawan a patient 65 with the young pair adding 133 runs to guide the hosts to 217 for two wickets at stumps.

Vice-captain Chaminda Vaas [Images], leading the side, chose to bowl first on winning the toss after the start of the match was delayed until after lunch due to a damp ground.

The first day's play was washed out on Saturday. Uthappa, 20, hit nine fours and lofted rookie left-arm spinner Sajeewa Weerakoon for two sixes, facing 96 balls before he was bowled by leg spinner Malinga Bandara.

Weerakoon then had the 19-year-old Dhawan caught at midwicket by Bandara, ending his almost three-hour stay.

Vaas, the Sri Lankan bowling spearhead, did not take a wicket although he conceded only 22 runs in his 10 overs.

Both captain Marvan Atapattu and champion off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan [Images] were rested for Sri Lanka's only warmup game before the three-Test series starting in Chennai (Madras) on Friday.

Scorecard:

Board President's XI
Robin Uthappa b Malinga Bandara                      76
Shikhar Dhawan c Lasith Malinga [Images] b Sajeewa Weerakoon  65
Sridharan Sriram batting                             44
Venugopala Rao batting                               12
Extras (b-8, lb-1, nb-11)                            20
Total (for 2 wickets in 49 overs)                   217

Fall: 1-138, 2-178.

Bowling: Chaminda Vaas 10-1-22-0, Lasith Malinga 6-0-37-0, Sajeewa Weerakoon 12-2-66-1, Dilhara Fernando 9-1-38-0, Malinga Bandara 12-1-45-1.