Nottingham: Sri Lanka underwent a total personality change at Trent Bridge on Sunday to bat themselves into a formidable position against England on the third day of the third and final Test.
The visitors ground their way to 286 for seven by the close, an overall lead of 288, with two days remaining.
England's best fourth-innings total to win a Test match at Trent Bridge came two years ago, when they made 284 for six.
England lead the series 1-0 after Sri Lanka escaped with a draw at Lord's before losing the second Test at Edgbaston.
Sri Lanka's coach Tom Moody had challenged his batsmen to take their chance to level the series and they responded magnificently, even if it meant replacing their trademark lavish strokeplay with attritional defence.
Kumar Sangakkara led the way with a faultless 66, captain Mahela Jayawardene added a watchful 45 and 19-year-old Charmara Kapugedera, in only his second Test, sealed a perfect day for the touring side with a maiden unbeaten 50 not out.
Left-arm spinner Monty Panesar took three for 73 for England.
With Muttiah Muralitharan waiting in the wings to exploit a dry, slow-paced wicket, the home side know they face a massive challenge to escape from Nottingham with the series.
Andrew Flintoff had hoped for a quick start when Sri Lanka resumed on 45 for one but Sangakkara and Upul Tharanga put paid to that with a stand of 94.
Within sight of lunch, though, Tharanga, having just driven Panesar for a flat six over long off, edged via his pad into the hands of Alastair Cook at short-leg to make it 100 for two.
England, bowling neatly rather than menacingly, had two chances of turning the game their way but failed to exploit either.
The first came when two wickets fell for five runs during the afternoon.
Sangakkara made his first and only mistake after a three-and-a-quarter hour stay, going back to Flintoff and edging straight to Marcus Trescothick, the only slip.
Almost immediately it was 148 for four when Sanath Jayasuriya, promoted up the order, swept at Panesar and fell LBW on the front foot after striking a single boundary.
There was no panic from Jayawardene, though.
Loose balls went to the boundary while everything else hit a barn door.
He hung around for two hours before returning to the pavilion in a fury after throwing away his wicket.
Having edged a wide ball from fast bowler Liam Plunkett behind, the Sri Lanka captain took a swipe at his stumps with his bat.
His belated apology may not save him from a fine.
England's second opportunity came when Tillekeratne Dilshan (32) and Farveez Maharoof (6) fell in quick succession to make it 238 for seven, the latter bowled after shouldering arms to Panesar's arm ball.
Kapugedara, however, offered one life with the score on 251, delighted his team mates with only the second half-century of the match.
He had batted for two-and-a-half hours by the end, putting on 48 with Charminda Vaas (24 not out).
It may have been as exciting to watch as paint drying, but it was also the stuff that wins tight Test matches.
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