Sri Lanka Run-fest (v South Africa)

KevIRL

Sri Lanka pair break world record
First Test, Colombo, day three: Sri Lanka 714-3 v South Africa 169

Scorecard

Jayawardene and Sangakkara broke a record which stood since 1997

Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene have broken the world record for a Test partnership - hitting 624 between them in Colombo.

The crowd erupted when the record came courtesy of four leg byes collected off South Africa spinner Nicky Boje.

The pair hugged each other before Sri Lanka advanced to 714-3 on day three, with Jayawardene moving to 355 not out.

That left the hosts 545 runs ahead with seven wickets in hand after South Africa had been bowled out for 169.

BEST TEST STANDS
S'kkara & J'wardene: 624, SL v SA, '06
Jayasuriya & Mahanama: 576, SL v Ind, Colombo, '97-'98
Jones & Crowe: 467, NZ v SL, Wellington, '90-'91
W Ponsford & D Bradman: 451, Aus v Eng, The Oval, '34
M Nazar & J Miandad: 451, Pak v Ind, Hyderabad, '82-'83

The third-wicket pair surpassed the previous best of 576 for the second wicket by fellow Sri Lankans Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama against India at the nearby Premadasa stadium in 1997.

Skipper Jayawardene was on 278 and Sangakkara was on 273 when they set the new record in the second over after lunch on the third day at the Sinhalese sports club.

Wicket-keeper Sangakkara finally fell for 287, his personal best and the best by a wicket-keeper in Tests, when he edged Andrew Hall to opposite number Mark Boucher.

The pair had come to the crease on Thursday evening with Sri Lanka struggling at 14-2 and Sangakkara had had a reprieve when he was bowled off a no-ball before he had reached double figures.

Both batsmen batted for more than 10 hours, or 160 overs, in hot and humid weather in the Sri Lankan capital.

county

fair play,what else can be said