Kumar Sangakkara scored the third double hundred of his career as Sri Lanka reached 395-5 at lunch in the second and final test against South Africa.
Sangakkara, who started the day on 157 not out having come to the crease in the first over of the match, moved along briskly on the second morning to finish on 218 from 337 balls.
The 26-year-old, playing as a specialist wicketkeeper in this match, survived chances on 57 and 177 during an eight-hour knock that included 28 fours and one six.
Thilan Samaraweera (21) provided solid support during a 76-run fifth wicket stand before being caught on the long-leg fence six minutes before lunch off a top-edged hook.
South Africa broke through in the first half hour with the second new ball as Chaminda Vaas (10), a nightwatchman, edged a Shaun Pollock delivery to Martin van Jaarsveld at first slip.
Pollock also had an opportunity to dismiss Sangakkara, on 177 at the time, when the left-hander pushed back a difficult low one-handed chance that Pollock was unable to hang on to.
Pollock, South Africa's most threatening bowler, finished with two for 63 from 22 overs.
Sri Lanka's star spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who pulled out of the match because of intense shoulder pain, will fly to Melbourne on Thursday night for shoulder surgery.
Muralitharan, suffering from general wear and tear plus a build up of fluid around a nerve, is set to miss the five-match one-day series that follows this second test.
"He will have to undergo surgery," Sri Lanka Cricket spokesman Ray Illangakoon said. "But at this stage we don't know how serious it would be. An Australian doctor will see him on Saturday."
The 32-year-old who holds the world Test bowling record of 532 wickets, struggled to get his side the breakthroughs expected of him in last week's opening Test against South Africa in Galle.
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