Galle, Jan 30 Usman Khawaja etched his name alongside the legendary Donald Bradman by becoming only the second Australian aged over 38 to score a Test double-century. The Aussie opener Khawaja struck his maiden double hundred in Test cricket on day two of the first Test against Sri Lanka here on Thursday.
Khawaja is also the only Australian man to hit a double century in Sri Lanka. He had earlier overtaken Justin Langer's 166 in Colombo in 2004 as the highest score by an Australian in Sri Lanka.
Moreover, he became the first Australian to score a double-ton in Asia since Jason Gillespie's famous 201 not out against Bangladesh in 2006. The others to score double ton in Tests are Matthew Hayden (201 not out vs India in Chennai), Dean Jones (210 vs India in the 1986 Madras tied Test), Greg Chappell (235 v Pakistan in Faisalabad in 1980 and Mark Taylor (334no against Pakistan in Peshawar in 1998).
Australia are currently batting at 482/3 with Khawaja (208*) and debutant Josh Inglis (47*) unbeaten in the middle.
Australia resumed on 330/2 with play starting 15 minutes early after rain ended day one prematurely. Khawaja and captain Steve Smith carried on from where they left off the previous evening, combining for a 266-run stand for the third wicket, Australia’s highest Test partnership in Sri Lanka.
The visitors passed 400-run mark with an overthrow from a missed run-out chance at the non-striker’s end, which would have seen Khawaja depart for 177. Leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay broke the marathon stand in the 100th over after Sri Lanka successfully overturned an LBW shout against Smith, trapped on the pads for 141.
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