Atapattu hits century as Sri Lanka fight back

Australia 401 Sri Lanka 239

Marvan Atapattu hit a superb unbeaten century as Sri Lanka stole the honours on day two of the third and final Test against Australia here yesterday.

Marvan Atapattu hit a superb unbeaten century as Sri Lanka stole the honours on day two of the third and final Test against Australia here yesterday.

Atapattu finished the day unbeaten on 109, with his side closing on 239 for 2 in their first innings, just 162 runs shy of the tourists' first innings total of 401. Atapattu's excellent opening stand of 134 with Sanath Jayasuriya came to an end when Jayasuriya fell for 71 just before tea. He picked out Jason Gillespie at long on to give the left-arm spinner Darren Lehmann the breakthrough wicket.

Lehmann also took the only other Sri Lankan wicket to fall, forcing an edge from Kumar Sangakkara, who made 22, to the wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist to leave the score on 175 for 2. Atapattu and Mahela Jayawardene, unbeaten on 29, guided Sri Lanka safely to the close.

Muttiah Muralitharan secured yet another five-wicket haul to end the Australian innings. Murali took three wickets to finish with figures of 5 for 123 as Australia, who started the day on 314 for 6, were bowled out in the final over before lunch for 401.

Among the off-spinner's victims was Lehmann, who made 153 before he was the final Australian wicket to fall, caught by Jayasuriya at cover.

Murali's success took him on to 510 Test wickets and to within one of the Australia leg-spinner Shane Warne. Both players are chasing Courtney Walsh's world record of 519.