Lanka’s Perera hits two double tons in a First Class game

Colombo, February 4

Sri Lanka batsman Angelo Perera became the second player in history to score two double-centuries in a First Class game. The right-hander accomplished the rare feat at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo, captaining Nondescripts CC against SSC in the Super-8s stage of Sri Lanka’s First Class Premier League tournament.

Both of the 28-year-old’s double-hundreds were fast-scoring affairs, the first – 201 off 203 – coming at almost run a ball, and the second only marginally slower, a 268-ball 231. Three other batsmen across both the sides scored centuries and just 26 wickets fell over four days as the match petered out to a draw. Perera’s side remain winless in the Super-8s, and currently sit second from bottom.

Perera has represented Sri Lanka six times — four ODIs and two T20Is between 2013 and 2016. It was at the SSC in 2006 that Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara added 624 for the third wicket against South Africa, which remains the record partnership for any wicket in First Class cricket.

Before Perera’s ‘double double’, it was done some 80 years ago when Kent’s Arthur Fagg crossed 200 twice in a county game against Essex. Perera’s  big knocks came against a strong attack, featuring Test bowlers Dhammika Prasad and Sachithra Senanayake. His second double in particular was more important to his side’s hopes as it came after his team had slumped to 44/3 in the second innings. — Agencies

Perera 2nd batsman to achieve the feat  

• Arthur Fagg: 244 & 202* Kent v Sussex, Colchester, 1938
• Angelo Perera: 201 & 231 NCC v SSC, Colombo, 2018/19