05 November,2010 02:55 PM IST | | Agencies
Opener Upul Tharanga top scored with an unbeaten 86 as Sri Lanka reached 213 for three in a rain-hit second one-day international against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.
The left-hander showed steely powers of concentration to regroup after a lengthy rain delay to remain unbeaten in his 112-ball knock.
Australia require 244 runs for victory off 39 overs in the evening session under Duckworth Lewis rules to level the series.
Australia must beat Sri Lanka to take the best-of-three match series to a decider in Brisbane on Sunday or the tourists will claim their first series victory in Australia.
A 90-minute downpour reduced the match to 45 overs per side, but a much heavier shower later ended Sri Lanka's innings some 8.5 overs short.
Angelo Mathews, the hero of Sri Lanka's astonishing one-wicket victory over Australia in the first ODI in Melbourne on Wednesday, remained 17 not out off 11 balls.
Sri Lanka's openers put on 98 runs for the first wicket before Tillakaratne Dilshan was trapped lbw as he attempted to slog-sweep off-spinner Nathan Hauritz in the 20th over.
Up to that stage Dilshan had looked comfortable in compiling 47 off 57 balls with five boundaries.
All-rounder Shane Watson got a wicket in his first over when he had Mahela Jayawardene lbw for five as he attempted to pull.
After a rain delay, Sangakkara was out for 45 off 52 balls when he shaped for a square drive off Watson and top-edged to Clint McKay at third man.
Watson finished Australia's best bowler with two for 34 off eight overs.
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