Langer and Katich help Australia set a target of 370

Close Sri Lanka 407 and 18 for 0 need 352 more runs to beat Australia 401 and 375 (Langer 166, Katich 86, Herath 4-92)
Scorecard

Justin Langer - cleared of bringing the game into disrepute by the ICC's match referee last night after a bizarre incident in the field - bounced back to form to rescue Australia in the fourth day of their final Test against Sri Lanka. Australia had collapsed from a comfortable 79 for 1, a few minutes before the close of play last night, to 98 for 5 within the first half-hour of the morning. But Langer, supported by Simon Katich, reclaimed the upper hand with a superb unbeaten 166, from 295 balls, to set Sri Lanka a mammoth target of 370 runs.

Sri Lanka were left weary and disheartened by the end of the Australian innings, their chance for a morale-boosting victory to end the series almost certainly gone - the highest total they have ever chased to win a Test is the 326 for 5 they scored against Zimbabwe in Feb 1998, and the average last-innings score at the Sinhalese Sports Club is 154. Instead, Sri Lanka face a backs-to-the-wall fight to avoid a series whitewash.

Sanath Jayasuriya raised the spirits of the small local crowd with a three-card trick of off-side boundaries in Michael Kasprowicz's first over, and Sri Lanka safely negotiated the five overs to the close to reach 18 for no loss. But the final day's battle for survival is sure to be tough. Jayasuriya closed on 13 not out, and Marvan Atapattu was unbeaten on 5.

Langer, who needed a runner in the afternoon after suffering from severe leg cramps, found a stubborn ally in Katich, who justified his inclusion in the side with a patient and hardworking 86, from 214 balls. The pair clawed the initiative back Australia's way with a marathon 218-run stand. During the morning they scored freely, as 102 runs were added in 29.4 overs, but in the afternoon the tempo of game slowed to a crawl.

Sri Lanka, frustrated by their inability to break the partnership, swung onto the defensive immediately after lunch. Bizarrely, Muttiah Muralitharan grazed in the outfield under his floppy hat for more than an hour without being called up to bowl. Thilan Samaraweera blocked up one end with his flat offbreaks, and Rangana Herath bowled his slow left-arm spin with a 7-2 leg-side field. It was a grueling passage of play with only 27 runs eked out in the first hour.

Hashan Tillakaratne eventually turned back to his seamers, giving Nuwan Zoysa, who had laboured in the field looking half-fit, an opportunity to earn his match fee. Zoysa caused some problems for Katich and Langer, who was hobbling around in pain, as he found a hint of reverse swing. But he was unable to breakthrough and finally, almost reluctantly, Tillakaratne turned to his most senior bowlers: Murali and Chaminda Vaas.

Ironically, their entry into the attack precipitated a short burst of scoring, carrying the lead past 250, the target that Tillakaratne believed Sri Lanka could chase. Sri Lanka grew increasingly ragged, their despondent body language betraying the frustration of, once again, for the third Test in a row, failing to land the killer punch with Australia on the rack.

Katich was the chief beneficiary of Sri Lanka's sloppiness, although Tillakaratne Dilshan's bat-pad fumble off Langer in the morning was ultimately the most costly miss. Katich first poked a half-chance through Dilshan's legs at short leg on 20, and was then dropped twice by Kumar Sangakkara behind the stumps: off Murali on 47 just before tea, and on 54 off Vaas as Sri Lanka turned to the second new ball in desperation.

Langer and Katich were finally separated as they searched for quick runs. Langer, exhausted and hobbling, chopped a Vaas delivery onto his stumps. Vaas lofted his hands in shock, relief and celebration. Meanwhile, Katich was closing in on a second Test hundred, smacking Murali for a clinical straight six. But Murali claimed wicket No. 513, drawing level with Warne.

Adam Gilchrist finished the innings in some style, clattering two enormous sixes on his way to a run-a-ball 31, before Australia were bowled out for 375. Herath cleaned up Warne and Brad Williams at the death to finish with career best figures of 4 for 92 on his return to international cricket. Murali ended with 3 for 93, and a series bounty of 28 wickets. Warne, though, has a chance to eclipse him yet.

In the morning, Sri Lanka opened with spin on the bald, cream-cracker dry pitch. The ball spun sharply and Sri Lanka needed just four overs to snatch the initiative. Damien Martyn (9) was pinned to the crease by a flighted ball from Rangana Herath that pitched on middle and straightened. Darren Lehmann (1), the first-innings centurion and Australia's leading run-scorer in the series, was caught behind off Muralitharan as he tried to flash an offbreak through point (98 for 5).

Langer, reprieved on 7 on Friday, when he gloved a catch to bat-pad, also enjoyed some luck on the fourth morning, as Tillakaratne Dilshan spilled a sharp chance at silly point. But Australia's mini-crisis coaxed him out of his shell and he switched onto the offensive against the spinners. Langer relied heavily on the sweep against Muralitharan but was prepared to use his feet against Herath, lofting a six over wide long-on to bring up his first fifty of the series - his previous highest score was 32.