Records tumble as Sri Lanka dominate

COLOMBO, July 29 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's captain Mahela Jayawardene scored a magnificent undefeated 357 and helped break the record for the highest partnership in test cricket on the third day of the first test against South Africa today.

Jayawardene's marathon innings, the highest ever score by a Sri Lankan, guided his team to a formidable 720 for three wickets at the tea interval, leading South Africa by 551 runs with seven sessions remaining in the match.

The stand-in skipper compiled a 624-run stand spanning 160.3 overs with left-hander Kumar Sangakkara before Andrew Hall finally found the outside edge of the latter's bat with a full-length reverse-swinging delivery.

The previous 576-run record set by compatriots Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama against India in 1997 was broken as wicketkeeper Mark Boucher conceded four byes down the leg side off the bowling of left-arm spinner Nicky Boje.

Celebrated with firecrackers around the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, the new milestone was reached with Jayawardene on 278 and Sangakkara on 273. The partnership was also the highest ever stand in first-class cricket.

By the tea interval, the 29-year-old Jayawardene, who also passed 6,000 test runs during his innings, had faced 543 balls hit a total of 41 boundaries and one six during what has been a chanceless innings.

Brian Lara's record test score of 400 is now firmly in his sights as Jayawardene climbed up to sixth place on the all-time individual innings list.

The previous highest score by a Sri Lankan was the 340 scored by Jayasuriya against India in 1997 at Premadasa International Stadium.

Middle order batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan, forced to wait over 11 hours with his pads on the in the dressing room, was 34 not out at the break.

STRONG APPEAL Jayawardene and Sangakkara also became only the second pair in test history to score 250's in the same innings after Gary Sobers and Conrad Hunte for the West Indies against Pakistan in 1957/58.

Neither batsman offered a chance during the day until Sangakkara's dismissal, although Jayawardene survive one strong appeal for an lbw off Makhaya Ntini and his partner edged streakily through the slips off Andrew Hall.

Otherwise, the pair batted with the same elegance and faultless precision that had characterised their strokeplay on the first two days.

Sangakkara's 287 -- also a personal best after his 270 against Zimbabwe in 2004 -- spanned a total of 457 deliveries and included 35 boundaries.

Boje bowled tidily for the tourists, turning the occasional ball sharply and providing the main threat to the batsmen, but he still returned figures of 0-221 from 65 overs of hard toil.

REUTERS DH PC1612