Half-centuries from Tillakaratne Dilshan, Thilan Samaraweera and Kumar Sangakkara helped Sri Lanka reach 296 for four in their second innings at the close of the third day of the second Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong on Monday.
The visitors, 1-0 up in the two-Test series, extended their overall lead to 472 without losing a wicket in the final session.
Bangladesh had their only chance to get a wicket in the last session when Dilshan on 51 edged Mashrafe Mortaza to Zunaed Siddique who dropped the chance at slip. Zunaed also dropped Dilshan in the first innings on 78.
Dilshan, who struck 162 runs in the first innings to guide Sri Lanka from a precarious 75 for four to 384, was not out on 81 at the close with Samaraweera unbeaten on 72.
"I think a lead of 400 runs is safe as the wicket is very difficult. It's not easy to play shots here. You have to bat very straight from the start to the end," Samaraweera told reporters.
"[But] we are still batting as I think our bowlers need a lot of rest. They bowled 80 odd overs in the first innings and [Muttiah] Muralitharan bowled 70 odd overs in the first Test also," he added.
Their unbroken 131-run stand for the fifth wicket helped Sri Lanka add 109 runs in the final session on an increasingly lifeless pitch
The partnership came after Sangakkara had scored 54 before dragging a delivery from rival skipper Mohammad Ashraful on to the stumps.
Earlier Jayawardene, playing in his 100th Test, was out for 22, caught at short-cover by Imrul Kayes off left-arm spinner Enamul Haque. Jayawardene made 11 in the first innings.
