Jayasuriya sets up enthralling final day

The second Test between Sri Lanka and Australia is left delicately poised ahead of the final day's play.

14:46 19 March 2004

The second Test between Sri Lanka and Australia is left delicately poised ahead of the final day's play, after Sanath Jayasuriya scored a big-hitting century to drive his side on in Kandy.

Sri Lanka ended the fourth day on 301-7, and need 51 runs tomorrow to claim victory and level the series at 1-1.

But with Shane Warne and Jason Gillespie ready to fire again in the morning, this remarkable Test is still firmly in the balance.

Australia had already thrown down the gauntlet as Damien Martyn increased his overnight score to 161 and pushed his side to 442 all out earlier in the day, and Sri Lanka looked in trouble in reply.

They lost Marvan Atapattu (8) and Avishka Gunawardene (9) early on to leave them on 36-2, and despite Kumar Sangakkara (29) joining up with Jayasuriya to good effect, the hosts were still left struggling on 98-3.

But Jayasuria kept hitting the runs and had reached 131 by the time he was finally removed by Jason Gillespie with the score on 218-5.

That soon became 274-7, but Chaminda Vaas (30 not out) and Kaushal Lokuarachchi (13 not out) steadied the ship and survived a late burst from the Australians to give Sri Lanka a fighting chance of victory.