Record stand pounds Pakistan

Jayawardene and Samaraweera add 437 for Sri Lanka's fourth wicket

By Graeme Mair   Last updated: 23rd February 2009  

Record stand pounds Pakistan

Jayawardene (right) is congratulated by Samaraweera on reaching his double century

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First Test
Karachi
Sri Lanka 644-7 dec (D P M D Jayawardene 240, T T Samaraweera 231, K C Sangakkara 70, B S M Warnapura 59) v Pakistan 44-1

Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera shared a record fourth-wicket partnership before Sri Lanka declared their first innings at 644-7 on the second day of the opening Test in Pakistan.

Both batsmen turned overnight centuries into double tons while extending their stand to 437 by late afternoon in Karachi.

That eclipsed the previous highest fourth-wicket partnership in Tests of 411 between England's Peter May and Colin Cowdrey against West Indies at Edgbaston in 1957.

The alliance between Jayawardene and Samaraweera, who came together on the first day with their side on 177-3, spanned 643 balls and 450 minutes as Pakistan's bowlers toiled in hot conditions on an unresponsive pitch.

Belated breakthrough

Jayawardene finally fell for 240 to off-spinner Shoaib Malik, brilliantly caught by wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal down the leg side from a miscued sweep.

It was the Sri Lanka captain's fourth double century but his first away from home. He also has a triple hundred to his name.

His long-time partner Samaraweera, having advanced to his own maiden double century and highest Test score of 231, departed seven balls later when he was bowled by leg-spinner Danish Kaneria's flipper.

And after waiting almost three sessions for a breakthrough, Pakistan claimed their third with Sri Lanka's score still on 614 - Tillakaratne Dilshan edging behind off Malik (2-140) for a three-ball duck.

The tourists batted on for seven overs of the evening session before the declaring upon the fall of Prasanna Jayawardene, bowled for 18 by the persevering Kaneria (3-170). Chaminda Vaas finished unbeaten on 12.

The final total of 644-7 is Sri Lanka's highest against Pakistan and also the best by any team at Karachi's National Stadium.

Butt out

Pakistan lost Salman Butt on the way to reaching stumps at 44-1 in reply.

The left-hander edged a sharply turning delivery from off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (1-1) to slip in the penultimate over of the day.

Debutant opener Khurram Manzoor (18no) and skipper Younus Khan (0no) - who declined to send out a nightwatchman - survived the final nine balls and will resume on Monday morning with Pakistan still 600 runs behind.