Published: May 27, 2017, 09:32 AM (IST)
Edited: May 27, 2017, 12:06 PM (IST)
Playing his final First-Class season in the County Championship 2017 with Surrey, Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara has set a new record for the county side. He has become the first cricketer for Surrey to slam 5 consecutive centuries in county championship. In the last four games, Sangakkara has scored 136, 105,114 and an unbeaten 116. On Friday, he repeated and continued his prolific form by smashing another ton, while playing against Essex at the County Ground in Chelmsford. He remained unbeaten on 177, which so far includes 23 boundaries, along with a strike rate of 64. It is also his 99th career century, while it was his 61st First-Class century till date. Kumar Sangakkara to retire from First-Class cricket in September
Other cricketers who have attained similar feats are — CB Fry in 1901, Wally Hammond in 1938 and Mike Hussey in 2003. Struggling at 31 for 5 at one stage, Sangakkara, along with Sam Curran steered Surrey to 210 for 5, as the partnership was worth 179. Sangakkara is all set to retire from First-Class cricket following the conclusion of the ongoing County Championship 2017. He retired from Test cricket in 2015, scoring 12, 400 runs, thus becoming the fifth most run scorer in the longest format of the game. He also has an average of 57 from 134 Tests. “You try to fight the inevitable but you need to get out while you’re ahead. It’s the last time I’ll play a four-day game here. I’ll be 40 in a few months, this is about the end of my time in county cricket.”, Sangakkara was quoted saying by BBC. Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene’s portraits to be unveiled at Lord’s
“It’s the last time I’ll play a four-day game here. I will be 40 in a few months, this is about the end of my time in county cricket. The biggest mistake that sometimes you can make is that you think you’re better than you really are,” added Sangakkara.
