136, 105, 114, 120 followed by another fluent century: These are scores that could easily be a footnote in Sir Don Bradman’s chequered career.
However, it is Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara who has been registering these scores, doing so with some ease for his county side Surrey. Not surprisingly, the classy 39-year-old has been flooded with suggestions about reconsidering his retirement from international cricket.
Playing in conditions where most subcontinent batsmen have struggled to get runs, Sangakkara continues to amass big scores with some panache – he did so during the last leg of his career too.
Up against a formidable Sussex side, Sangakkara’s side was left in tatters after new-ball bowlers Matthew Quinn and Jamie Porter ran through the Surrey top-order. With the London side struggling at 31/5, Sangakkara joined hands with Sam Curran to launch a spectacular counter-attack, racing away to another century, his fifth in the last four matches and his 61st in first-class cricket.
Sangakkara’s stylish flicks and cover drives were in full flow as the opposition ran out of steam.
A run-glut of this magnitude has found commonplace in Sangakkara’s career. During 2015, he had cracked four consecutive One Day International centuries, just before he bid adieu to the 50-over format. The former Sri Lankan skipper will pull the plug on his career after this season, despite piling big scores. After all, Sangakkara has proved that he swears by bowing out, just when he scales new peaks – just like he did with Sri Lanka.
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