KEY POINTS:
HOBART - Kumar Sangakkara sent a scare through the Australian camp yesterday, scoring an unbeaten century to give Sri Lanka hope of saving - or even winning - the second cricket test at Bellerive Oval.
Chasing a world record total of 507 to win, the tourists are three for 247 at stumps on the fourth day with Sangakkara on 109 and Sanath Jayasuriya on 33.
The pair have added 89 in 89 minutes for the fourth wicket.
Brett Lee took two key wickets in successive balls late in the day, dismissing opener Marvan Atapattu, caught at deep square leg for 80, and first-innings centurymaker Mahela Jayawardene, who was bowled for a first-ball duck.
Mitchell Johnson struck before lunch to remove Michael Vandort for four as Tasmanian second 11 player Rhett Lockyear took a neat catch at point, substituting for injured allrounder Andrew Symonds.
Sangakkara and Atapattu put on 143 for the second wicket before Lee's double breakthrough.
While Stuart Clark and Johnson provided good support for Lee, legspinner Stuart MacGill, who had figures of none for 93 off 16 overs, struggled for form and fitness.
MacGill's day could be summed up by his 12th over when he had Jayasuriya caught on the boundary off a no-ball, one of three no-balls in the over.
Symonds indicated MacGill was suffering from a number of ailments.
"He (MacGill) has had an operation on his elbow and he hasn't got much feeling in his hand," Symonds said.
"His knee's a bit sore, but he'll keep trying."
Captain Ricky Ponting reached 53 not out before declaring Australia's second innings closed at 210 for two earlier today.
Mike Hussey was unbeaten on 34, giving him an average of 86.18 in 18 tests.
Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan finished with one for 90 from 20 overs, claiming the unflattering figures of four for 400 in the series and 704 wickets overall, four shy of equalling Australian Shane Warne's world record.
Australia resumed their second innings today on 111 for one.
Opener Phil Jaques was caught at deep backward point for 68, falling to Lasith Malinga's bowling.
Sri Lanka could use only three frontline bowlers - Muralitharan and pacemen Malinga and Dilhara Fernando - after Farveez Maharoof was unable to take the field because of a foot injury.
The highest successful fourth innings runchase in tests is the 418 for seven scored by the West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2003.
SCOREBOARD
Australia
First innings 542-5 dec
Second innings
P Jaques c Vandort b Malinga 68
M Hayden lbw b Muralitharan 33
R Ponting not out 53
M Hussey not out 34
Extras (19nb, 1lb, 2b) 22
Total (for 2 wkts dec, 46 overs) 210
Fall: 83, 154.
Bowling: L Malinga 12-0-61-1 (13nb), D Fernando 12-1-50-0 (6nb), M Muralitaharan 20-1-90-1, S Jayasuriya 2-0-6-0.
Sri Lanka
First innings 246
Second innings
M Atapattu c Jaques b Lee 80
M Vandort c sub b Johnson 4
K Sangakkara not out 109
M Jayawardene b Lee 0
S Jayasuriya not out 33
Extras (10nb, 5w, 6lb) 21
Total (for 3 wkts, 70 overs) 247
Fall: 15, 158, 158.
Bowling: B Lee 16-2-40-2 (5w, 2nb), M Johnson 19-3-65-1 (1nb), S Clark 13-4-33-0 (3nb), S MacGill 16-0-93-0 (4nb), M Clarke 6-1-10-0.
- AAP
