Kumar Sangakkara scored his sixth Test hundred as Sri Lanka posted 303 for three on the first day of the second Test against South Africa on Wednesday.
Sangakkara, playing as a specialist batsman in the series, was 157 not out after sharing in important partnerships with Sanath Jayasuriya (43) and Mahela Jayawardene.
Jayawardene, a double centurion in the first Test in Galle, provided the support role for Sangakkara with 82 before he was bowled late in the day by a Makhaya Ntini inswinger. Chaminda Vaas was not out on four at the close.
Sangakkara and Jayawardene shared a record 192-run third-wicket stand for Sri Lanka against South Africa, surpassing the 168 they scored at Durban in 2000.
Both were fortunate as Jacques Kallis missed Sangakkara at slip on 57 and wicketkeeper Mark Boucher dropped Jayawardene on 16 off a thick edge from Nicky Boje.
"There is still an opportunity for us to come back to tomorrow," said South Africa captain Graeme Smith. "If we knock a few over to make it interesting again.
"The wicket is going to play well for most of the Test match, so if we put our heads down we can bat well also."
Sangakkara, who passed 3000 runs earlier in the day, stroked two boundaries in the penultimate over to carry Sri Lanka past 300 and himself past 150 for the third time. The previous two times he passed 150, he went on to score double centuries.
The 26-year-old left-hander came to the crease in the first over after captain Marvan Atapattu smashed one cover drive for four before nicking a Shaun Pollock outswinger to Boucher.
After a tricky half hour against the new ball, Sangakkara then counter-attacked with Jayasuriya, adding 95 for the second wicket, to push South Africa onto the defensive.
Jayasuriya, perilously close to being lbw on one and then fortunate when he slashed through the slips, was unlucky to be dubiously adjudged lbw shortly before lunch to Boje.
Pollock was South Africa's most threatening bowler, who finished with one for 49 from 16 overs.
Sri Lanka made two changes to the team that drew the first Test in Galle with record-breaking spinner Muttiah Muralitharan ruled out with an injured shoulder that will require surgery and replaced by left-arm spinner Rangana Herath while fast bowler Lasith Malinga replaced all rounder Farveez Maharoof.
The 32-year-old Muralitharan, who has a world record 532 Test wickets, needs surgery to remove fluid in his bowling shoulder and is expected to miss the rest of the tour.
Scoreboard
Sri Lanka (1st first innings):
M.Atapattu c Boucher b Pollock 4
S.Jayasuriya lbw Boje 43
K.Sangakkara not out 157
M.Jayawadene b Ntini 82
C.Vaas not out 4.
Extras: (lb-6, nb-7) 13
Total: (for three wickets, 90 overs) 303
To bat: T.Samaraweera, T.Dilshan, R.Kaluwitharana, U.Chandana, L.Malinga, R.Herath
Bowling: S.Pollock 16-2-49-1 (4nb), M.Ntini 18-4-47-1 (2nb), N.Hayward 7-1-34-0 (1nb), J.Kallis 13-5-44-0, N.Boje 25-4-79-1, J.Rudolph 4-0-16-0, M.van Jaarsveld 7-0-28-0.
South Africa: G.Smith, J.Kallis, B.Dippenaar, M.van Jaarsveld, J.Rudolph, H.Gibbs, S.Pollock, M.Boucher, M.Ntini, N.Hayward, N.Boje
