COLOMBO, 12 August 2004 — Kumar Sangakkara scored his sixth Test hundred as Sri Lanka posted 303 for three on the first day of the second Test against South Africa yesterday.

Sangakkara, playing as a specialist batsman in the series, was 157 not out after sharing in important partnerships with Sanath Jayasuriya (43) and Mahela Jayawardene.

Jayawardene, a double centurion in the first Test in Galle, provided the support role for Sangakkara with 82 before he was bowled late in the day by a Makhaya Ntini inswinger. Chaminda Vaas was not out on four at the close.

Sangakkara and Jayawardene shared a record 192-run third-wicket stand for Sri Lanka against South Africa, surpassing the 168 they scored at Durban in 2000.

Both were fortunate as Jacques Kallis missed Sangakkara at slip on 57 and wicketkeeper Mark Boucher dropped Jayawardene on 16 off a thick edge from Nicky Boje.

“There is still an opportunity for us to come back to tomorrow,” said South Africa captain Graeme Smith. “If we knock a few over to make it interesting again.

“The wicket is going to play well for most of the test match, so if we put our heads down we can bat well also.”

Sangakkara, who passed 3000 runs earlier in the day, stroked two boundaries in the penultimate over to carry Sri Lanka past 300 and himself past 150 for the third time. The previous two times he passed 150, he went on to score double centuries.

The 26-year-old left-hander came to the crease in the first over after captain Marvan Atapattu smashed one cover drive for four before nicking a Shaun Pollock outswinger to Boucher.

After a tricky half hour against the new ball, Sangakkara then counterattacked with Jayasuriya, adding 95 for the second wicket, to push South Africa onto the defensive.

Jayasuriya, perilously close to being lbw on one and then fortunate when he slashed through the slips, was unlucky to be dubiously adjudged lbw shortly before lunch to Boje. Pollock was South Africa’s most threatening bowler, who finished with one for 49 from 16 overs.

Sri Lanka made two changes to the team that drew the first Test in Galle with record-breaking spinner Muttiah Muralitharan ruled out with an injured shoulder that will require surgery and replaced by left-arm spinner Rangana Herath while fast bowler Lasith Malinga replaced all rounder Farveez Maharoof.

The 32-year-old Muralitharan, who has a world record 532 Test wickets, needs surgery to remove fluid in his bowling shoulder and is expected to miss the rest of the tour.

First-Class Cricket Returns to

Canada After 50 Years

First-class cricket will return to Canada this week after a gap of over 50 years when Canada and Bermuda meet in Toronto in the International Cricket Council (ICC) inaugural Intercontinental Cup match, writes Latafat Ali Siddiqui from Toronto.

The three-day game is set to begin tomorrow at Sunnybrook Park.

The last first-class match was played in Canada on Sept. 8-10, 1951 when the Marylebone Cricket Club (England) led by R. W. V. Robins of Middlesex met Canada at the Toronto Cricket Club with MCC won by 141 runs.

Canadian Cricket Association officials told Arab News on Monday that the Intercontinental Cup is a new tournament instituted by the ICC to further develop cricket in the non-Test playing nations of the world and is divided into four global groups, namely the Americas, Asia, Europe and Africa. The Americas group includes Canada, Bermuda and the United States.

The winner in each world region will compete in the semifinals and final in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates between Nov. 16-23.

In matches played in the Americas to date, Canada defeated the United States at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, by 104 runs and the United States defeated Bermuda at Hamilton by 114 runs.

Meanwhile, the local selectors named Canadian team for tomorrow’s match.

Canada Squad: John Davison, (captain), Desmond Chumney, Zubin Zurkari, Ashish Bagai, Manzoor Chaudhary, Haninder Dhillon, Don Maxwell, Sunil Dhaniram, Kevin Sandher, Austin Codrington, Ashish Patel and Umar Bhatti.

Bermuda Sqaud: Clay Smith, (captain), Dennis Archer, Delyone Borden, Jekon Edness, Reginald Tucker, Oliver Pitcher, Dwayne Leverock, Irvine Romaine, Stephen Outerbride, Wendell White, Ryan Steede, Kevin Hurdle and Saleem Mukudden.

Local Hero Flintoff

Inspires England

In Manchester, England, Andrew Flintoff’s transformation from an exciting cricketer into an excellent one continued apace when England captain Michael Vaughan hailed the all-rounder as the world’s best player.

Today will see the Lancashire star play only his second Test at his Old Trafford home ground where he can be assured of a hero’s welcome after a storybook display in England’s 256-run second Test victory against West Indies at Edgbaston.

The powerfully-built Flintoff’s ability to hit the ball vast distances has long made him a crowd favorite.

But sometimes his desire to please the public, and indeed himself, has seen him try one audacious shot too many early in his innings with a consequently swift exit.

However, proof of his growing cricket nous came at Edgbaston where his stunning Test-best 167 thrilled spectators and put England into a position to win the game.