Lankans create a world record?

CRICKET: A very alert Sunday Observer reader R. Pussadeniya of Kegalle has written in to say that the performance of Sri Lanka in the First Test against India at the SSC grounds was outstanding and brought about a record in winning that Test by an innings and 239 runs.

Those two great spinners - Muttiah Muralitharan had 11 wickets for 110 runs and new boy Ajantha Mendis had 8 for 134 runs in the two innings.

What reader Pussadeniya says is that the fact that four Indian batsmen - V.V.S. Laxman b Mendis 56, H. Singhe c Warnapura b Mendis 9, A. Kumble - the skipper, lbw b Mendis 1 and Z. Khan lbw b Mendis 5 were out twice on the same day - that ill-fated Saturday.

In the second innings, V.V.S. Laxman lbw b Mendis 21, H. Singh b Mendis 51, A. Kumble b Muralitharan 12 and Z. Khan b Mendis 3.

The reader says that for four batsmen to get out twice in each innings on the same day constitutes a world record.