Sanath Jayasuriya notched his highest score for 16 months as Sri Lanka set off in hot pursuit of England’s modest first innings total of 265 on the second day of the third and final Test on Friday. The home team reached 264 for two at the close after Jayasuriya clubbed 12 fours and a six in his 85 from 104 balls. Trailing England’s total by just one run, Sri Lanka are comfortably placed to build a huge first innings lead when the Test resumes on Saturday. Thilan Samaraweera and Mahela Jayawardene also toiled with the English attack to score half centuries. Samaraweera was unbeaten on 68 with Jayawardene 60 not out. Jayasuriya put on 71 for the first wicket with Kumar Sangakkara (31) and 67 for the second with Samaraweera. Samaraweera, dropped twice at slip by Marcus Trescothick on 12 and 46, added a further 126 runs with Jayawardene in an unbroken third-wicket partnership. Jayasuriya and Sangakkara, who opened in place of the injured Marvan Atapattu, had taken the attack to England’s bowlers in the morning in a run-a-ball stand before James Kirtley broke through just before lunch. BRIEF SCORE England (1st Innings): 265 (M Trescothick 70, A Flintoff 77; Vaas 3/64, Chandana 2/82, Muralitharan 3/40). Sri Lanka (1st Innings): 264/2 (Jayasuriya 85; Samaraweera 68 no; Kirtley 1/55). England (1st Innings): 265 (M Trescothick 70, A Flintoff 77; Vaas 3/64, Chandana 2/82, Muralitharan 3/40). Sri Lanka (1st Innings): 264/2 (Jayasuriya 85; Samaraweera 68 no; Kirtley 1/55).
