Sri Lanka set to win First Test: Jayawardene falls short by 26 runs to break Lara's record

by Ranjan Anandappa

It was slow torture for South Africa as Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardena (374) and deputy Kumar Sangakkara ( 287) re- established several new batting records as they set Sri Lanka to an errevocable path to victory at the end of the third days play in the first cricket Test at the SSC grounds yesterday. South Africa who has a deficit of 587 run were 43 for no loss in 15 overs.

Besides the tumbling of the batting records , Jayawardena missed the most significant one when he fell short of 26 runs in bettering Brian Lara's individual highest Test score (400) against England in St.John's West Indies.

Once the Jayawardena -Sangakkara alliance ended the focus was entirely on Jayawardena's efforts of reaching the all time individual mark of Lara. Jayawardena was 306 when Sangakkara got out after adding 624 runs for the third wicket with Jayawardena which was another World record for any wicket previously held by Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama against India in 1977 at the R.Premadasa Stadium, Jayawardena was cruising towards the magic 400 run mark with a tiring South African attack wilting under pressure.

But Andre Nel who had bowled 25 overs without success got one to move which crashed through Jayawardena's gate to deny him of the record. Jayawardena's 374 was the highest by a Sri Lankan batsman at Test level over taking the previous 340 scored by Sanath Jayasuriya against India in 1977.

He had 47 fours and a six facing 572 balls with a 762 minute stay at the wicket..

The third wicket pair Jayawardena and Sangakkara broke the existing all time record for partnerships (575) set by the Sri Lankan pair Mahanama and Jayasuriya. They also broke the Test record for the third wicket 467 between Martin Crowe and Andrew Jones against Sri Lanka in Wellington New Zealand in 1991. They also went to re-establish the all time first class partnership for any wicket set by Indians Vijay Hazare and Gul Mohammed in 1946.

Jayawardena and Sangakkara who monopolised play on whole of Friday and a good share on the first day adding 471 for the third wicket ,continued yesterday in the same fashion as the partnership looked going on indefinitely. It did so happen ,as both Jayawardena and Sangakkara looked supremely assured and their shots had all the masterly of batsmen in form as both tore into the attack with ruthless efficiency.

Jayawardena playing on his own ground would have read the pitch as the back of his hand and Sangakkara also an accomplished batsman relieved from the strain of keeping wickets had the South African bowlers in full retreat scoring almost at will as they were approaching the all time best partnership record 575 set by Jayasuriya and Mahanama.

The South African bowling looked decidedly thin with their main strike bowler Makhaya Ntini looking a mere shadow of himself unable to purchase anything out from a ominously slowing wicket. Left arm spinner Nicky Boje although beating the bat of both Jayawardena and Sangakkara looked of a modest calibre bowling at two players who are experts in negotiating spin bowling.

Jayawardena and Sangakkmara resumed their overnight innings at 224 n.,o and 229 n.o respectively. Andre Nel began the proceedings with a maiden to Sangakkara and Boje from the other end bowled a couple of testing deliveries. But both continued their assault which they left on the previous day.

Jayawardena reached his 250 cutting Boje for a boundary past point and Sangakkara followed suit pushing Andrew Hall to Nel at mid off and Nel misfielded and gave Sangakkara two runs to complete his 250 runs.Jayawardena had a six and 29 fours in his 250 after facing 402 balls while Sangakkara had utilised 373 deliveries spending 575 minutes at the crease hitting 32 boundaries. Sangakkara was finally out caught behind by Boucher off Hall for 287. There after Dilshan Joined the run fiesta with Jayawardena adding a further 113 runs for the fourth wicket.

The president of the Interim Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket Jayantha Dharmadasa awarded both Sangakkara and Mahela Peugeot cars for their world record breaking efforts.

SOUTH AFRICA - 1ST INNINGS: 169

SRI LANKA - 1ST INNINGS
(Overnight: 485-2)                                    
      
U. Tharanga      c Boucher b Steyn		  7
S. Jayasuriya    lbw b Steyn			  4
K. Sangakkara    c Boucher b Hall		287
M. Jayawardene   b Nel				374
T. Dilshan       lbw b Steyn			 45
C. Kapugedera    not out		 	 	  1
EXTRAS  (b-17 lb-5 nb-8 w-8)			 38
TOTAL (for 5 wickets declared, 185.1 overs)	756
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-6 2-14 3-638 4-751 5-756
BOWLING:  M. Ntini (31 - 3 - 97 - 0 (nb-1), 
D. Steyn  26 - 1 - 129 - 3 (nb-6 w-2) 
A. Nel 25.1 - 2 - 114 - 1 (nb-1 w-1) 
A. Hall 25 - 2 - 99 - 1      
N. Boje  65 - 5 - 221 - 0  
J. Rudolph 7 - 0 - 45 - 0, 
A. Prince 2 - 0 - 7 - 0 (w-1) 
A. de Villiers 4 - 0 - 22 - 0.

 SOUTH AFRICA - 2ND INNINGS

 J. Rudolph  not out		24
 A. Hall not out		13
 EXTRAS (nb-6)	 		 6
 TOTAL (for no loss, 15 overs)	43
  BOWLING: L. Malinga  4 - 0 - 22 - 0 (nb-2), 
F. Maharoof 3 - 0 - 9 - 0 (nb-3) 
D. Fernando 3 - 1 - 2 - 0 (nb-1) 
M. Muralitharan  4 - 1 - 10 - 0 
T. Dilshan     1 - 1 - 0 - 0     

*****

President congratulates

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday congratulated Sri Lanka cricket captain Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara for establishing a new world record partnership for any wicket in a Test match.

The President extended his greetings to the entire Sri Lanka team now playing South Africa in the First Test at the SSC grounds.