COLOMBO, (Reuters) – Sri Lanka countered a pitch  assisting seam and spin to reach a solid 293 for four on the  first day of the third and final test against India yesterday.

Thilan Samaraweera became the third Sri Lankan batsman to  pass fifty and was unbeaten on 65 at the close with Angelo  Mathews on 26.

The hosts only need a draw to win the three-test series 1-0.

Mahela Jayawardene’s wicket was the solitary success for  India in the final session when he was lbw to Pragyan Ojha for a  a subdued 56.

Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara, dropped by Suresh Raina  in the slips on 23, had looked set for his third hundred of the  series but, on 75, he lifted a ball from left-arm spinner  Pragyan Ojha straight to Virender Sehwag at long-on.

Earlier, India struck in the final over before lunch when  Murali Vijay produced a sharp piece of fielding at silly point  to claim the wicket of Tillakaratne Dilshan.

The opener had scored 41 when he stepped out of his crease  after playing a no-ball from Ojha and Vijay flicked the ball  back to wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who broke the stumps  with Dilshan’s bat in the air.

India picked up an early wicket in the fourth over of the  morning after Sangakkara had won his third straight toss.

There was plenty of movement in the pitch for the bowlers  and Ishant Sharma got one ball to move away from Tharanga  Paranavitana (8), who edged a catch to Dhoni.