On this day: Jayasuriya and Mahanama take Sri Lanka to the top
6th August 1997, an unparalleled record was scripted in the island nation of Sri Lanka. India toured Sri Lanka for a two-Test series, the first of which was scheduled at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium (formerly Khettarama). It was a dead subcontinental belter in the suffocating, humid weather of Sri Lanka. It proved to be a track where Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama scripted history to put Sri Lanka at the top of the Test records.
Batting first, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Sachin Tendulkar, and Mohammad Azharuddin struck centuries as India amassed a gigantic total of 537 runs in the first innings. The debutant Nilesh Kulkarni made a quick breakthrough as opener Marvan Atapattu played one into the hands of wicket-keeper Nayan Mongia, on what was Kulkarni’s very first ball in Test cricket.
Little did Kulkarni and India know that the next time they would huddle up to celebrate a wicket would not come any sooner than two days of torture. Atapattu’s end brought in Sanath Jayasuriya alongside Roshan Mahanama, both of whom would go on to script a mammoth and a record-tumbling alliance of 576 runs.
#OnThisDay
Two Lankan legends go on and on and on… pic.twitter.com/4ExLUC9AV1— 100MB (@100MasterBlastr) August 6, 2020
Jayasuriya and Mahanama pitched in their tent the next day as the former stood unbeaten at 163 whereas the latter unbeaten on 115 at the end of day three. Enervated Indian bowlers started afresh on day 4 with a hope to get rid of the partnership only to be toyed around by the incredible duo.
Beating continues
The horrifying run for the Indian bowlers did not come to an end and showing no mercy whatsoever, both the batsman continued to bat the entire day once again to make it the only such instance in the Test history where two batsmen played for two complete days. Jayasuriya stood at 326* and Mahanama at 211* at the end of day four as the scorecard read a ridiculous 587/1. The partnership had soared past 500 runs- the first-ever 500 runs stand in Test cricket- and it eclipsed the 63-year-old record of 451 between William Ponsford and Donald Bradman.
On the 5th and final day, both the invincible-looking batsman came out once again. Jayasuriya, after batting for a mind-baffling 799 minutes and slamming 340 runs off 578 balls with 38 fours and 2 sixes, fell to Rajesh Chauhan. Soon after the gigantic partnership had finally come to an end, Mahanama brought his 753-minute outing for 225 off 561 to an end as Anil Kumble trapped him leg before wicket.
The never-ending batting carnival left barely any scope of a result, however, the record-breaking did not stop even after the partnership ended. Sri Lanka continued to bat as Arjun Ranatunga (86), and Mahela Jayawardene (66) took them to an astronomical 952/6. Just when a four-digit-score looked probable, Lankans finally declared after batting for 271 overs.
