COLOMBO, March 25: Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan edged closer to Courtney Walsh's world record of 519 wickets after finishing with five scalps on the second day of the third and final Test against Australia on Thursday.

While Muralitharan took his tally to 510 wickets when he dismissed century-maker Darren Lehmann, Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne failed to add to his haul of 511 despite bowling 18 overs on a turning pitch.

Both spinners, who crossed the 500-wicket mark during the series, are in a race to overhaul West Indies paceman Walsh. The feat could possibly be achieved in this game, more likely by Warne who still has potentially 18 wickets up for grabs as opposed to 10 for his Sri Lankan rival.

Marvan Atapattu scored his 12th Test century as Sri Lanka, 2-0 down in the series, responded positively to end the day on 239 for two in reply to Australia's 401 all out.

Atapattu's unbeaten 109 included 17 boundaries. Mahela Jayawardene was not out on 29. Openers Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya made a brisk start to score 134 for the opening wicket, their first century stand for two-and-a-half years, before Jayasuriya skied a catch off part-time spinner Lehmann to be dismissed for 71.

Atapattu added 41 with Kumar Sangakkara (22), before Lehmann broke through again courtesy of a dubious caught behind decision from umpire Steve Bucknor, and an unbeaten third-wicket partnership of 64 with Jayawardene.

Atapattu said: "It is always special to get a hundred against the best side in the world. I was not having a very good series and I am happy that it came right in this Test match."

He added: "There are no terrors in the wicket and there are still plenty of runs to be had but it is starting to turn from good areas, not just from the rough, so we must make sure that we get a good total in the first innings."

Earlier, Australia, who started the day on 314 for six, added 87 in the morning session before Lehmann (153) became Muralitharan's fifth and final victim of the innings.

Left-arm seamer Chaminda Vaas, Sri Lanka's only fast bowler after Nuwan Zoysa injured his calf on the opening day, finished with three for 93 from 26 overs.

Lehmann's second century of the series, and the fifth of his 18-Test career, included 14 fours and two sixes. Muralitharan took his series haul to 25 wickets as he claimed five for 123 in 37.1 overs.

Sri Lanka's openers launched a stunning assault against the new ball, bringing up 50 in just 45 balls before settling into a more sedate scoring pace after the introduction of Warne.

Jayasuriya was particularly brutal, smashing nine fours and one six in his 78-ball knock, while Atapattu returned to form after his lean start to the series with some classical strokes to reach his hundred.

The stand was a record for Sri Lanka against Australia for the first wicket, surpassing the 110 compiled by Roshan Mahanama and Chandika Haturusingha at the same venue in 1992-93.

Scoreboard