In his final match at the Kia Oval, Kumar Sangakkara drew on that innate sense of timing that the great batsmen possess to make his eighth hundred in nine County Championship matches this season.
In doing so, he not only became the first player to make that many centuries in a campaign since Marcus Trescothick also hit eight for Somerset in 2009, but more importantly he piloted Surrey, who started this round of matches in third, towards a potentially match-winning lead that should guarantee their Division One status.
Somerset was very much in the game when Ben Foakes was fourth out at 169, caught behind off the impressive Peter Trego.
Sangakkara, however, never looked in any difficulty on a pitch that had flattened out from the first day, and eased to a 93-ball fifty. Constantly encouraging Ollie Pope, he received good support from the 19-year-old, who contributed 50 out of a vital fifth-wicket stand of 109 in 29 overs.
Pope fell in the sixth over of the second new ball. Sangakkara played and missed at it a couple of times against Craig Overton, but these were rare blemishes before he reached his 64th career hundred from 164 balls with his 14th four, a cut off Overton. He also hit a straight six off Dom Bess during his innings of 119 not out, which leaves him on 1, 369 championship runs from only 13 innings.
Add new comment