Colombo, Aug. 8: Sri Lanka’s captain Mahela Jayawardene hit 123 as the hosts survived South Africa’s dramatic fightback to record a tense one-wicket victory in the second and final Test here on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka, set 352 to win, lost three wickets for nine runs to slip to 350/9 after lunch on the fifth day before last man Lasith Malinga drove Nicky Boje for the winning run.

Sri Lanka swept the short two-Test series against the depleted tourists missing the injured duo of captain Graeme Smith and leading all-rounder Jacques Kallis.

The home side had won the first Test by an innings and 153 runs at the Sinhalese Sports Club last week.

It was Sri Lanka’s most successful fourth innings chase, surpassing the 326/5 they made to defeat Zimbabwe at the SSC during the 1997-1998 season.

Sri Lanka, who were just 19 runs away from victory at lunch with four wickets in hand, were kept in the field for an hour after resumption by the South Africans amidst growing tension at the Sara Oval.

With 11 needed, Jayawardene stepped out to Boje and edged a catch to Herschelle Gibbs in the slips. It was the left-arm spinner’s 100th Test wicket in 43 matches.

Seamer Andrew Hall had Chaminda Vaas caught superbly in the slips by A.B. De Villiers and then clean-bowled Muttiah Muralitharan, leaving Malinga to deliver in the company of Farveez Maharoof. Maharoof levelled the score with a single off Boje before Malinga drove the next ball to the mid-on region to seal a close win.

Jayawardene showed the touch that brought him the fourth highest Test score of 374 in the first Test.

The 83-Test veteran hit 11 boundaries and two sixes in his 16th Test century, having anchored the innings for six hours.

Maharoof escaped two chances in one over from Boje to remain unbeaten on 29, having put on 62 for the seventh wicket with Jayawardene.

Scores: South Africa 361 and 311 lost to Sri Lanka 321 and 352/9 (Jayawardene 123, Maharoof 29 n.o., Boje 4/111, Hall 3/75)