Middle order batsman Dhananjaya de Silva made a timely return to form to strike a face-saving unbeaten 153, just 20 runs short of his career-best 173 as Sri Lanka recovered from an overnight 46 for 2 to 328 for 8 while wiping out a first innings deficit of 49 to take a 279 runs lead on the fourth day of the second and final cricket Test at the Galle International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.