Sangakkara and Jayawardene enjoyed a run-feast on Friday

An unbroken 471-run stand, the second biggest in Test match history, gave Sri Lanka a 151-run first innings lead over South Africa after day two in Colombo.

Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene had put on 114 on day one before batting throughout Friday's play.

At stumps, Sri Lanka were 485-2, already leading by a monumental 316.

Sangakkara and Jayawardene had just passed Kiwis Andrew Jones and Martin Crowe to record the best third-wicket stand in Test match history.

Left-handed Sangakkara, the team's wicket-keeper, was on 229, with right-handed skipper Jayawardene on 224.

The only partnership in Tests to have produced more runs was that of fellow Sri Lankans Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama.

Their 576 for the second wicket came against India at the other Colombo ground, the Premadasa, in 1997-98.

On Thursday, Sangakkara had not reached double figures at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground when he was dropped and then bowled off a Dale Steyn no-ball.

But the pitch, which had provided 12 wickets on the first day, proved too flat and slow for South Africa's bowlers on a day of humid heat on Friday.

BEST TEST STANDS Jayasuriya & Mahanama: 576, SL v Ind, Colombo, '97-'98 S'kkara & J'wardene: 471, SL v SA, '06 Jones & Crowe: 467, NZ v SL, Wellington, '90-'91 W Ponsford & D Bradman: 451, Aus v Eng, The Oval, '34 M Nazar & J Miandad: 451, Pak v Ind, Hyderabad, '82-'83

The closest the tourists came to breaking through was when a difficult low chance was dropped in the deep as Sangakkara, looking for his century, went to loft left-arm spinner Nicky Boje.

A firm checked drive from Jayawardene dropped just short of Ashwell Prince at cover during the afternoon.

And with the last ball of that day, Boje had Sangakkara dropped by wicket-keeper Mark Boucher.

Afterwards, Jayawardene said: "Where we are right now, we are very happy and hopefully we can push for a win.

"We have got South Africa down and we want to make sure that they stay down.