Centuries give Sri Lanka boost versus India

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - Centuries from Malinda Warnapura, Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Samaraweera guided Sri Lanka to 422 for four on the second day of the first test against India on Thursday.

Opener Warnapura scored 115 from 202 balls with 14 boundaries while skipper Jayawardene compiled a stylish 136, an innings spanning 259 deliveries including 10 fours and a six.

The pairing of Warnapura and Jayawardene added 155 runs either side of lunch as India's bowlers were forced to toil hard throughout the first two sessions.

Samaraweera, who put on 148 with Jayawardene, continued the Sri Lanka run spree until the close of play, finishing unbeaten on 111 from 187 balls with 16 boundaries.

Tillakaratne Dilshan was unbeaten on 20.

Jayawardene's century was the 23rd of his career and his ninth at the Sinhalese Sports Club, a record for the most centuries at a single venue that he now shares with Australian great Donald Bradman.

"This has been a very friendly venue for me over the years and this pitch is a very good batting pitch," Jayawardene told reporters.

"If you get settled in on a wicket like this it is quite easy to graft your runs, and I was a bit lucky today as they dropped a couple of chances," he added.

"We'll make sure that we've got enough runs to put plenty of pressure on them and then we'll see what our bowlers can get out of the pitch."