Kumar Sangakkara posted a majestic 203 — his 11th test double century — to guide a resurgent Sri lanka to a 113-run lead over New Zealand at stumps on the second day of the second cricket test at the Basin Reserve on Sunday. Sangakkara’s double century brought him within one of matching Donald Bradman’s record of 12 and came a day after he became just the fifth cricketer to pass the 12,000-run milestone in tests - and the fastest to do so in 224 innings.
Following a 2014 season in which he scored 1,493 runs, including two double centuries and three centuries, Sangakkara kept the runs coming at the start of the new year to help Sri lanka reach 356 in its first innings in reply to New Zealand’s 221. New Zealand was 22-0 in its second innings at stumps, with Hamish Rutherford on 12 and Tom latham 9.
The hosts had the upper hand in the match — as well as a 1-0 lead in the series — when Sangakkara came to the crease late on Saturday after bowlers had dominated on a green and seaming pitch. Although Sri lanka lost five wickets in quick succession before stumps, Sangakkara had remained patient and was 33 not out at the end of the day. His stellar batting Sunday then revived Sri lanka’s innings and allowed the visitors to build a commanding lead. At first with caution but then with growing confidence, Sangakkara started to pull his team back into the match. He reached his century from a comparatively pedestrian 191 balls and then his 19th test 150 from 253 balls - more than any batsman besides Sachin Tendulkar.
By the end, he was playing with the New Zealand bowlers and frustrating the fielders: when the field was up, he hit over the top with lavish drives to extra cover and long on. When it was back, he pierced the field with unrelenting accuracy, kneeling to rifle a drive between point and cover. Sangakkara batted in total for nearly seven hours and was the ninth man out in the Sri lanka innings, falling late in the final session to an acrobatic catch by Trent Boult at point. Each of the New Zealanders shook his hand as he left the ground and the crowd gave him a standing ovation. It was a far cry from the first test at Christchurch when he made scores of 6 and 1 as New Zealand won by eight wickets.
Brief Scores
New Zealand: 221 and 22/0 (Hamish Rutherford 12 not out) trail Sri lanka: 356 (Kumar Sangakkara 203, Dinesh Chandimal 67; Jimmy Neesham 3-42, Doug Bracewell 3-93, Trent Boult 2-75) by 113 runs.