Thilan joins the Elite band
Chris Dhambarage
Sri Lanka’s middle order batsman Thilan Samaraweera joined an
exclusive select band of players during his trail blazing knock of 214
runs on the second day of the second and final cricket Test match
against Pakistan continued at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore yesterday.
Samaraweera who made an epic 231 in the drawn opening test match in
Karachi became only the sixth player to score back to back double
hundreds after Wally Hammond (England), Don Bradmon (Australia), Kumar
Sangakkara (Sri Lanka), Vinod Kambli (India) and Graeme Smith (South
Africa). Incidentally Sir Don Bradmon had the credit of performing this
feat on two occasions.
Samaraweera who has been a prolific run getter in the recent past
also joined a select band of players to have scored two double hundreds
in the same series. Among them are some of the greatest former
cricketers in the calibre of Australian Don Bradmon who in fact
performed this feat on four occasions.
Samaraweera is also the second Sri Lankan player to perform this role
after Kumar Sangakkara produced a similar effort during the home series
against Bangladesh in 2007. Samaraweera’s performance is even more
significant considering the fact that he is placed third in the overall
average behind Wally Hammond and Kumar Sangakkara.
The 32 year old solid right hander made a century on his debut
against England at the SSC grounds in August 2001 and since then he has
been a consistent run getter for his country having contributed some
great innings at home and abroad.
LAHORE, Monday
Most double hundreds in Tests
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Player Matches Innings Runs HS Ave 200s
W. Hammond (England) 2 2 563 336 563.00 2
K. Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) 3 3 428 222 428.00 2
T. Samaraweera (Sri Lanka) 2 3 469 231 234.50 2
D. Bradmon (Australia) 5 5 806 299 201.50 2
D. Bradmon (Australia) 5 7 974 334 139.00 3
V. Richards (West Indies) 4 7 829 291 118.42 2
W. Hammond (England) 5 9 905 252 113.12 2
H. Mankad (India) 4 5 526 231 105.20 2
R. Ponting (Australia) 4 8 706 257 100.85 2
G. Turner (New Zealand) 5 8 72 259 96.00 2
D. Bradmon (Australia) 5 8 758 304 94.75 2
D. Bradmon (Australia) 5 9 810 270 90.00 2
G. Greenidge (West Indies) 5 8 572 233 81.71 2
G. Smith (South Africa) 5 9 714 277 79.33 2
Note: Tabulated under player, matches, innings, runs, highest score, average and double hundreds |
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