Sri Lanka close in on India's total in first Test

Former captain Mahela Jayawardene hit an unbeaten 86 as Sri Lanka moved towards a first innings lead over India in the first Test here on Wednesday.

Former captain Mahela Jayawardene hit an unbeaten 86 as Sri Lanka moved towards a first innings lead over India in the first Test here on Wednesday.

The tourists went to lunch on the third day at 375-5, needing 51 more to match India's 426 with five wickets in hand on a good batting pitch at the Motera stadium.

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Mahela Jayawardene bats on the third day. PIC/AFPu00a0

Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera, who resumed at the overnight score of 275-3, put on 138 for the fourth wicket to build on opener Tillakaratne Dilshan's century on the second day.

Samaraweera was dismissed for 70, but all-rounder Angelo Mathews helped Jayawardene add 43 for the fifth wicket before falling to a controversial decision in the last over before lunch.

Mathews, who made 17, was declared caught at forward short-leg by Australian umpire Daryl Harper even as replays showed the ball from Harbhajan Singh bounce off the batsman's pad.

Jayawardene and Samaraweera saw off 10 overs of spin before Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni claimed the second new ball as soon as it was due in the 81st over with the total at 306.

The pair added 26 more runs when lanky seamer Ishant Sharma broke through as Samaraweera pulled a short ball to square-leg, where Yuvraj Singh moved quickly to his right to hold a smart catch.

Sri Lanka, looking for their first Test win on Indian soil, are playing three Tests, two Twenty20 matches and five one-day internationals on the seven-week tour.