Sri Lanka skipper Jayawardene set up the win with a superb 123

Sri Lanka survived a thrilling finish in Colombo as they beat South Africa by one wicket to wrap up a 2-0 series win.

Starting the final day on 262-5 needing 352 to win, the hosts lost their wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene early when he was lbw to Andrew Hall.

Skipper Mahela Jayawardene and Farveez Maharoof then took Sri Lanka to 341-6 before Jayawardene edged to Herschelle Gibbs at first slip after making 123.

Hall took two more wickets before Lasith Malinga hit the winning run.

It was Sri Lanka's highest fourth-innings run chase - and the sixth highest successful run chase in the history of Test cricket.

It was also only the 11th victory by one wicket in Test history.

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Mahela Jayawardene began on 77 not out, and batted throughout the morning to get Sri Lanka within 11 runs of the win, putting on 62 with Farveez Maharoof (29 not out).

But the seeming formality of victory became tense as the Sri Lanka captain fell to Nicky Boje (4-111) to herald the loss of three wickets for nine runs.

Hall almost became a hero as he had Chaminda Vaas brilliantly caught by AB de Villiers at third slip and then bowled Muttiah Muralitharan as the tail-ender tried to slog the winning.

But Malinga held his nerve to score the winning single off Boje and seal the win.

Sri Lanka, who won the first Test by an innings and 153 runs, now play South Africa and India in a limited-overs series starting on 14 August.

Muralitharan's 22 wickets in the two matches were enough to win the man-of-the-series reward.