Sangakkara on song yet again

Kumar Sangakkara rose to fourth on the list of century-makers as he and Mahela Jayawardene plundered Pakistan's bowlers

Kumar Sangakkara rose to fourth place on the list of century-makers as he and the retiring Mahela Jayawardene plundered Pakistan's bowlers on Friday's third day of the first Test in Galle.

The hosts, who began the day at 1-99 in reply to Pakistan's 451, carried their first innings from the lunch score of 2-174 to 252 without further loss by tea.

Rain wiped out the post-tea session and left Sri Lanka trailing by 199 runs with eight wickets in hand.

Left-handed Sangakkara - who turns 37 in October - was unbeaten on 102, his seventh three-figure knock in 14 Tests, taking his overall tally to 37 centuries.

Only the retired trio of India's Sachin Tendulkar (51), South African Jacques Kallis (45) and Australia's Ricky Ponting (41) have scored more hundreds.

Jayawardene, set to quit Test cricket at the end of this two-match series, showed he was good enough to prolong his 17-year career as he survived an anxious start to hit an unbeaten 55.

The tried and trusted duo of Sangakkara and Jayawardene, whose partnership of 624 against South Africa in Colombo in 2006 remains a world record, have put on 108 for the third wicket.

Rain reduced play to just 20 overs in the post-lunch session in which Sri Lanka scored 78 runs.

Pakistan's reputed spin attack of Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman was ineffective on the flat, even-paced pitch loaded in favour of batsmen.

Sangakkara reached his century just before tea by cutting Rehman for his 13th boundary.

The overnight pair of Sangakkara and Kaushal Silva negotiated Pakistan's pace and spin attack comfortably to add 45 runs in the first hour.

Silva reached his half-century by pulling seamer Junaid Khan to the square-leg fence for his ninth boundary.

Silva made 64 in the second-wicket stand of 120 when he edged a ball from fast bowler Mohammad Talha and wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed dived to his right to hold a low catch.

Jayawardene walked in to a guard of honour of raised bats by schoolchildren and was greeted in the middle by applauding Pakistani fielders, as fireworks exploded outside the ground.

He was immediately into his stride, punching the third delivery he faced, from Ajmal, to the cover boundary.

On 11, Jayawardene successfully reviewed after English umpire Ian Gould decision to give him out lbw off Junaid. Replays showed the ball missing the off-stump.