UpdateA1 Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 Resources ESPN cricinfo.com In the opening 50-minutes, Surrey were 31 for 5. The rest of the day? 303 for 2. What happened, you ask? Kumar Sangakkara. Again. The Sri Lankan, who just last week said he was giving up the game because, ultimately, he is worried success might go to his head, registered his 61st first-class hundred. If it hasn't now, when will it? This was a fifth hundred in a row, a third in eight days and, without doubt, one of his best for Surrey. He sleeps tonight on his highest score for the club. No other batsman in Surrey's history has gone five on the bounce. Only seven others have done so in first-class cricket, with Sangakkara the fifth to pull it off in the County Championship. CB Fry, Mike Procter and Don Bradman went on to six. Sangakkara would be no slouch even in such distinguished company. As ever with the 39-year-old, he was playing a different game to the rest. Even Essex seamer Matt Quinn, who had taken Surrey's top order to the cleaners with 3 for 13 in his opening three overs, was thrown by the mere presence of the man, losing his line with a few down the leg side early on. It was in Sam Curran, a man 20-years his junior, that Sangakkara found adequate support. Their partnership had a festival feel as they put on 191 - a new Surrey record against Essex for the sixth wicket. Sangakkara was the headline act: fans on both sides of the fence cheering appreciatively with each classic stroke they've seen time and time again (the century, from 174 balls, was brought up with an on drive that you'd like to take out for a nice seafood dinner). But Curran was more than happy to make the side-stage his own. Those present will have left Chelmsford having learned more about Sam than Kumar. Sam had learned a bit too from the last time he was close to a maiden century. This impressive innings ended on 90 when he skipped down the track and tried to send Simon Harmer out of the ground for a second time. Dip, turn and James Foster behind the stumps for his first Championship start saw him stumped. His walk off was slow, but nowhere near as slow as his departure on 96 against Lancashire last year. Then, he was emotional as he got back to the changing room. Today, he laugh. "Ah you know," he began, "last year I was on 96 against Lancs and I got out defending. So this time I thought, well, it's almost risk and reward, so you know… Obviously I'm gutted but, hey, what can you do?" A rush of blood to the head - let's face it, he's 19 - should not detract from a truly remarkable passage of play that he and Sangakkara embarked upon. The pair went into lunch at 67 for 5, with Curran nursing a bruised hand, yet returned to put on 147 in the afternoon session. While Sangakkara did what Sangakkara does, Curran emerged unscathed from a hostile tussle with Neil Wagner to unfurl some sumptuous shots of his own: through wide mid-on and the covers primarily, before he hit Ravi Bopara into the pavilion at square leg for his first six. It is worth remembering that as he came through at Surrey, Sam Curran's batting was talked about more than his bowling. Today explained why. The frustration for Essex didn't stop with him. Stuart Meaker (43*), masquerading as a No. 9, came in and hit his highest score in three seasons with such gusto that he shocked Sangakkara into a few shots of rage: twice he charged Wagner and thumped him down the ground. The morning's carnage seemed a long way away Rory Burns, leading Surrey after an injured toe kept Gareth Batty out of the playing XI, opted for a toss, won it and then saw his side lose five wickets in no time. Mark Stoneman, Scott Borthwick (Surrey's only other centurions this season) and Burns himself fell to Quinn bounding in from the River End. All were undone by deliveries that went across them and bounced more than expected in Quinn's opening three overs, which saw him pass 100 first-class wickets. Not too shabby spread across 50 innings for Essex, Auckland and New Zealand A. Then Jamie Porter got involved from the Hays Close End, undoing Dom Sibley with a cracker that took the top of off and coercing Ben Foakes into playing onto his own stumps. Given the disarray Sam Curran walked into, his innings seems all the more remarkable. Oloooooooooooo Link to comment
UpdateA1 Posted May 29, 2017 Author Share Posted May 29, 2017 I wish him good luck for 6th century on next week same as Don Bradman Link to comment
UpdateA1 Posted May 29, 2017 Author Share Posted May 29, 2017 1 minute ago, Stumped said: Currently 25* in the 6th innings. Unfortunately he'd probably have to bat pretty quickly to get a 100 before Surrey would want to declare to give themselves an outside chance of winning the game. Is he? I should tune in BBC I player for Audio, available in India and USA.You need to tune local radio online either surrey or Essex. Link to comment
UpdateA1 Posted May 29, 2017 Author Share Posted May 29, 2017 Meaker hits 49 in the first innings so I expect him to support kumara but too bad, surrey lost 5 wickets for 36 runs at one stage. Surrey's next game vs Essex on June 9-12 at Woodbridge Link to comment
UpdateA1 Posted May 29, 2017 Author Share Posted May 29, 2017 Today England were 20 for 6 vs Southafrica but recover to 153 allout,it could be possible for sangakara to reach 100 Link to comment
Gollum Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 3rd greatest Asian batsman after SRT and Sunny. GoldenSun 1 Link to comment
Sean Bradley Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 Just now, Gollum said: 3rd greatest Asian batsman after SRT and Sunny. nevada and GoldenSun 1 1 Link to comment
UpdateA1 Posted May 30, 2017 Author Share Posted May 30, 2017 Kumara missed by 16 out for 84 Link to comment
Ultimate_Game Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 But does he have three triple hundreds like Sir Jadeja? Link to comment
Vilander Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 On 5/29/2017 at 10:17 AM, Gollum said: 3rd greatest Asian batsman after SRT and Sunny. nope greatest ahead of Sunny,Dravid. Link to comment
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