Kumar Sangakkara and skipper Angelo Mathews struck brisk half-centuries to help Sri Lanka set up a thrilling finale to the series-deciding second Test against South Africa on Sunday. Sangakkara (72) hit his tenth 50-plus score of the year and Mathews chipped in with an unbeaten 63 as the hosts declared their second innings on 229-8 shortly before close of play to set the visitors an imposing target of 369.
At stumps on a rain-interrupted day four, South Africa were 38-1, needing 331 more runs off a minimum 98 overs to pull off a series-clinching win.
Quinton de Kock (21) and Dean Elgar (13) were the not out batsmen at the crease.
The hosts, who posted 421 in their first essay, had bowled out South Africa for 282 in their first innings to gain a 139-run lead.
South Africa lead the two-Test series 1-0 after winning the opener in Galle by 153 runs. Even a draw in this game will see the Proteas reclaim the world number one ranking from Australia.
Sangakkara felt the visitors would play for draw than go for a win on Monday.
"Even in the first innings I thought they were playing for time (rather) than scoring runs. That allowed us to put pressure on them," he said after the day's play.
South Africa's chase did not start the way they had hoped for as they lost their first wicket with just six runs on the board. Opener Alviro Petersen (zero) failed for the second time in the game when he was caught off left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, who opened the bowling.
Senior South African batsman AB de Villiers was confident his side could pull off a win and clinch their first Test series victory on the island in 21 years.
The Sri Lankan batsmen had started off confidently after rain interrupted play for an hour following the lunch break. Sangakkara unleashed his trademark silken pulls and drives to race to the 50-run mark with a boundary off leg-spinner Imran Tahir (2-76).
Just when he was looking good for a bigger score, he edged to wicketkeeper De Kock off Morne Morkel (4-45), bringing an end to his enterprising knock that included eight hits to the fence.
Kithruwan Vithanage (seven) was superbly caught by Faf du Plessis who ran backwards without taking his eyes off the ball and then dived forward to pluck it inches off the ground.
-- Sri Lanka 1st innings: 421 (M. Jayawardene 165, N. Dickwella 72; V. Philander 2-52)
-- South Africa 1st innings: 282 (H. Amla 139 n o; D. Perera 5-69)
============================================
Sri Lanka 2nd innings (overnight 11-0):
============================================
U. Tharanga c de Kock b Steyn 30
K. Silva c Philander b Morkel 26
K. Sangakkara c de Kock b Morkel 72
M. Jayawardene c Elgar b Tahir 0
A. Mathews not out 63
K. Vithanage c du Plessis b Morkel 7
N. Dickwella c de Villiers b Steyn 16
D. Perera b Tahir 7
R. Herath c de Villiers b Morkel 4
============================================
Extras: (b1, lb2, nb1) 4
============================================
Total: (for 8 wkts dec.; 53.4 overs) 229
============================================
Did not bat: S Lakmal, A Mendis
Fall of wickets: 1-38, 2-82, 3-83, 4-164, 5-174, 6-203, 7-214, 8-229
Bowling: Steyn 13-1-59-2, Philander 11-3-35-0, Tahir 18-0-76-2 (1nb), Morkel 9.4-1-45-4, Elgar 1-0-9-0, Duminy 1-0-2-0
============================================
South Africa 2nd innings:
============================================
A. Petersen c Vithanage b Herath 0
D. Elgar not out 13
Q. de Kock not out 21
============================================
Extras: (lb4) 4
============================================
Total: (for one wkt; 17 overs) 38
============================================