Surrey 328 for 6 (Sangakkara 119*, Stoneman 51, Pope 50) lead Somerset 269 by 59 runs
They call him, simply, “The King”. And, really you can see why. For Kumar Sangakkara, in his 40th year, is lording over English county cricket like it is his own personal fiefdom.
Here, in his last ever first-class game at The Oval, and the penultimate one of his career, Sangakkara was majestic, clinical, and chanceless yet again. This innings was a delight to watch and will create lasting memories for those who were lucky enough to watch him live.
As always, there was a myriad of cricketing splendor to enjoy. Every spectator will have their own favorite moments. To some, it will be any of the languid drives, effortlessly stroked through the covers as if it required no effort. For others, it will be the cut, hit late and with sumptuous precision, with which Sangakkara reached his eighth first-class century of the summer.
One of the most memorable moments came a ball after Dom Bess, Somerset’s young offspinner, had turned one sharply past Sangakkara. Not one to be rattled by the merest hint of fallibility, Sangakkara took a couple of strides down the wicket to his next delivery and caressed Bess for a straight six. It was a shot that delicately and beautifully carried a simple message: Sangakkara is in charge.
All summer long, Sangakkara has played like a video gamer who has unlocked cheat mode, finding a way to bat without being dismissed. But he is not merely a brilliant player; he is also cold-hearted and utterly ruthless. And so, when Somerset decided to rest their seamers in sight of the second new ball, Sangakkara saw an opportunity to shift the trajectory of this game.
Seeing Tom Abell trundle in with his medium-pacers while Sangakkara interspersed playing him exquisitely from the crease with charges down the wicket, was to think of the old line of cowering Christians being fed to the lions. Sangakkara’s art gave way to violence.
One of the hallmarks of sporting greatness is not merely the performances themselves, but the burden they place on opponents. The effect of Sangakkara is often to make the opposition perform worse, so flustered are players by the specter of his excellence. In the evening sunshine, Somerset, who had bowled thoroughly admirably, rapidly began to betray the effects of being exposed to Sangakkara for too long.
Even the fielders were rattled: a cut to third man went through substitute fielder Roelof van der Merwe’s legs. When Sangakkara, on 88, scampered a precise quick single, there were four overthrows as if he needed the help.
