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Langer, Hayden batter Lankans
Openers Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden amassed their sixth double-century partnership.
- Indo-Asian News Service
- Updated: February 25, 2007 09:07 AM IST
Read Time:2 min
Cairns: Openers Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden amassed their sixth double-century partnership to build an imposing platform for Australia to bat Sri Lanka out of the second cricket Test today. It all went pear-shaped for the Sri Lankans from the time they sent Australia into bat and spent the opening day chasing leather around the Cazaly Stadium as the home side got away to a flying start. Milestones came and went for the two left-handers with the Sri Lankans incapable of staunching the flow of runs in the second Test match to be played at the picturesque North Queensland ground. They put on their best stand in Tests of 255 before Hayden fell for 117 -- his 19th century in 55 Tests -- in the 65th over and moved above the legendary English 1920s opening pair of Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe as the fifth most-prolific scoring opening pair in Tests. Langer was still there at the close of the first day with his 19th Test hundred in 76 Tests on 159 off 268 balls with 22 fours with Damien Martyn raising his 16th Test half-century to be unbeaten 56 and Australia in full flow at 370 for two off 90 overs. Australia crushed Sri Lanka by 149 runs inside three days in the first Darwin Test last week in their fourth consecutive Test victory over the Sri Lankans in four months. In 58 innings since they came together at The Oval against England in August 2001, Langer and Hayden have accumulated 3,490 runs at an average of 60.17 each time they come out to bat in Tests. (PTI)
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