Jayasuriya - Mahanama in record 2nd wkt stand (576) helped Lanka to 952/6 wkts

By A.C. De Silva

Sri Lanka among world records - Sri Lanka really touched the world record books in the game of cricket in the 1997-98 series against India at the R. Premadasa Stadium.

It was a high scoring Test and India batting first, made 537 for 8 wickets off 167.3 overs and this score was made possible with three centurions on the side M. Sidhu (111), Sachin Tendulkar (143) and Mohammed Azharuddin (126) the tore into the Lankan attack. India total of 537 for 8 wickets came off with 167.3 overs.

The trouble with breaking records is that, no sooner than you get past one, something even more formidable looms ahead. As everyone watched with bated breath, Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama kept working themselves into the record books and were busy re-writing Test cricket history through two sunny and unforgettable days of the Test.

Came Sri Lanka's turn to bat and Roshan Mahanama (225) and Sanath Jayasuriya (340) put on 576 runs for the second wicket after Marvan Atapattu (26) was first out.

They were also the first pair to last two full days at the crease. While doing so, Roshan Mahanama, batting at an experimental No. 3 position, scored 226 runs off 561 balls.

Jayasuriya, opening the batting as usual, scored a mammoth 340 runs of 578 balls. With this superlative performance, they were instrumental in getting Sri Lanka as a test playing nation into the history books too, as the team's total at the end of the fifth day (but only the first innings!) was an incredible 950 runs, surpassing the record held by England (903 runs) since 1938.

Mahanama has played in 52 Tests and scored 2,579 runs. His highest individual score was that magnificent knock of 225 in that world-record breaking partnership of 576 runs with Sanath Jayasuriya against India. Altogether he has made four centuries and made 35 half-centuries for an average of 29.27.

It is well worth recording that memorable total of 952 for 6 wickets in the Test against India here at the R. Premadasa Stadium.

Batsmen called the tune and after five days of exhilarating batting where only 14 wickets fell, India made 537 for 8 wickets declared and Sri Lanka replied with the world record total of 952 for 6 wickets off 271 overs.

Roshan will also be remembered for his enduring knock of 153 runs to score the 3rd Test win with the Indians at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium in 1993, having undergone a minor operation on his to after conclusion of the three days play.

The mammoth partnership of 576 runs between Mahanama and Jayasuriya was surpassed in July 2006 as the biggest partnership in Test history by fellow Sri Lankans Kumara Sangakkara and present Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene who put on 624 against South Africa.

Mahanama's other significant batting achievements in Test cricket were back to back hundreds 153 and 109 against New Zealand in the home series in 1992.

Mahanama's invaluable contribution to Sri Lanka's greatest cricket achievement to date, the World Cup win in 1996, can be considered as the pinnacle of his one-day international career spanning 13 years.

His scores in the only two matches he got the opportunity to bat in that triangular World Cup were (a) an unbeaten 22 runs against England in the quarter-finals and (b) stylish 58 runs scored under trying circumstances before retired hurt in the all-important semi-final with India after coming into bat with the total at 35 for 3 wickets bear ample testimony on how vital his part was in that great team effort.

Altogether, Mahanama played in 52 Tests and 213 One-Day Internationals, scoring 2,576 runs in Tests and 5,162 runs in ODIs. In Tests he had four hundreds and 11 half-centuries. The top score is Tests was that memorable 225 against India at the R. Premadasa Stadium while in One-Day Internationals his top scored was 119 not out.

He was also undoubtedly one of the best fielders in the world.

Roshan Mahanama had done his country proud and left a lasting impression in the minds of Sri Lankan fans with his fine performances.

SCOREBOARD

INDIA FIRST INNINGS
N Mongia c Jayawardene b Pushpakumara	  		07
N Sidhu c Kaluwitharana b Vaas			       111
R Dravid c Jayawardene b Jayasuriya 			69
Sachin Tendulkar c Jayawardene b Muralitharan	       143
M Azharuddin c and b Muralitharan	 	       126
S Ganguly c Mahanama b Jayasuriya	      		00
A Kumble not out	 				27
C Chauhan c Vaas  b Jayasuriya	 			23
A Kunivilla c Atapattu b Pushpakumara	  		09
Extras: (B-10, NB-12)	 				22
Total (for 8 wkts dec off 167.3 overs, 675 wkts)       537

Fall of wickets: 1-36, 2-183, 3-230, 4-451, 5-451, 6-469, 7-516, 8-537.
Did not bat: V. Prasad,N. Kulkarni
Bowling: C. Vaas 23-4-80-1,
	 R. Pushpakumara 19.3-2-97-2,
	 D.P.M. Jayawardene 2-0-6-0,
	 M. Muralitharan 65-9-174-2,
	 Silva 39-3-122-0, (NB7),
	 Sanath Jayasinghe 18-3-45-3 (NB5),
	 M. Atapattu 1-0-3-0.

SRI LANKA FIRST INNINGS
S T Jayasuriya C Ganguly b Chauhan		       340
M S Atapattu c Mongia b Kulkarni	 		26
Roshan Mahanama lbw b Kumble			       225
P A de Silva c Prasad b Ganguly			       126
A Ranatunga run out	 				86
M Jayawardena c Kulkarni b Ganguly	 		66
R S Kaluwitharana not out	 			14
Chaminda Vaas not out	 				11
Extras: B-27, LB-10, W-7, NB-14)	 		58
Total: (for 6 wkts at stumps)			       952
Did not bat: R. Pushpakumara, M. Muralitharan, K.J. Silva.
Bowling: Prasad 24-1-88-0 (w-4)
	 Kuruvila 14-2-74-0 (NB-4)
	 Chauhan 78-8-276-1 (W-3, NB-5)
	 Kumble 72-7-223-1 (NB-5)
	 Kulkami 70-10-195-1
	 Ganguly 9-0-53-2
	 Tendulkar 2-1-2-0
	 Dravid 2-0-4-0

Man of the Match: Sanath Jayasuriya