Sunday July 30, 2006
Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene shredded cricket's record book with the highest-scoring display of undefeated batting in the history of the game.
But Jayawardene fell 26 runs short of Brian Lara's world record individual test score of 400 (scored against England in 2003/4) when he was bowled by an Andre Nel delivery that kept low, ending his mammoth innings at 374 - giving him the fourth-highest test score in history behind Matthew Hayden (380 in 2004) and Lara (375 in 1994 and 400no in 2004).
Sri Lanka finally declared their first innings on 756-5.
But Jayawardene's name is already writ large in the world record partnership. Not content with surpassing the former world record for the third wicket - set by New Zealand's Martin Crowe and Andrew Jones with 467 runs, ironically against Sri Lanka in 1991 - the two slightly built Sri Lankans soldiered on to sweep past the world record 576 scored by team-mates Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama against India at Premadasa International Stadium back in 1997, the match where Jayawardene made his debut.
The record came through four byes conceded down the legside by wicketkeeper Mark Boucher off left-arm spinner Nicky Boje.
The two batsmen had come to the crease on Thursday with Sri Lanka struggling at 14-2 in reply to South Africa's first innings total of 169 and had resumed yesterday at 229 not out (Sangakarra) and 224 not out (Jayawardene). They took a dispirited South African attack for four runs an over for the course of the day. The stand was also the highest for any wicket against South Africa, surpassing the 385 scored by Steve Waugh and Greg Blewett at Johannesubrg in 1997.
Ironically Sangakkara was dropped and bowled off a no ball before reaching double figures.
They were parted after 624 runs together - the new world record - when Sangakkara was caught behind by Nicky Boucher off Andrew Hall. [/b]
