Sri Lanka, faced with a target of 326, ended the day at 209 for five on the fourth day of the second and final cricket Test against Zimbabwe at Colombo on Saturday.

At one stage Sri Lanka slumped to 137 for five, but were rescued by the experienced duo of Arjuna Ranatunga (29 not out) and Aravinda de Silva (87 not out) who starred in an unbroken stand of 72.

The pair overcame an anxious moment when Ranatunga, unable to come to grips with the spin of Andrew Whittall, survived an appeal for a catch behind with his score on 18.

Moments after the appeal was turned down, Ranatunga and the Zimbabwe wicket-keeper Andrew Flower exchanged words and had to be separated by the umpires.

Sri Lanka got into trouble midway into their innings, when the paceman Heath Streak, plucked three wickets within the space of three overs after tea, to leave the home side at 137 for seven.

Streak had the opener Sanath Jayasuriya caught behind for 68 and trapped Hashan Tillekeratne at lbw for a duck, two balls later.

He also ended the innings of Romesh Kaluwitharana, who was caught at first slip for four.

Earlier in the day Zimbabwe were all out for 299, with Andrew Flower making an unbeaten 105, his first Test century against Sri Lanka. He hit ten fours and one six.

Scorecard

• S Jayasuriya c A Flower b Streak 68
• M Atapattu c A. Flower b Streak 0
• R Mahanama lbw b Mbangwa 0
• A de Silva not out 87
• H Tillekeratne lbw b Streak 0
• R Kaluwitharana c Cambpell b Streak 4
• A Ranatunga not out 29
  Extras (b-11 lb-10) 21

  Total (for five wickets)209 - close

  Fall of wickets: 1-1 2-10 3-115 4-115 5-137
  Bowling: Streak 15-4-58-4, Mbangwa 10-4-25-1, A.Whittall 25-6-56-0, Strang 12-1-48-0, G.Whittall 2-1-1-0.

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