Angelo Perera achieves rare double

Tuesday, 5 February 2019 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

NCC’s Perera becomes second man to score two double centuries in one first-class match
England’s Arthur Fagg did it first 81 years ago

By Madushka Balasuriya

In the context of the match, Angelo Perera’s nudged single-off Tharindu Ratnayake in the final over before tea was purely academic. Yes, it brought up his second double century of the game, but by that point the game had long ceased to entertain even the faintest glimpse of a result.

Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC) had piled on the runs in the first innings, being bowled out for 444, before neighbours Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) had all but killed the tie, taking a negligible 36-run first innings lead as they were bowled out for 480.

But in a game where bowlers were made to toil and five players had reached the triple figure mark – three of them registering scores of 150-plus – Perera achieved something remarkable.

As he took that single, unbeknownst to the 28 year-old right-hander, he was etching his name into the unlikeliest nook of the record books, becoming just the second man in history to score double-centuries in a first-class game.

The other was Englishman Arthur Fagg, who 81 years ago accomplished the same feat for Kent against Essex. Fagg’s first innings 244 came in the first day alone, while his second knock of 202 was clocked in at a barely credible two hours and 50 minutes.While Perera was unable to match such a brisk rate of scoring, he nevertheless scored at a fair clip. His first innings 201 came at nearly run-a-ball – 152 of those coming on the first day – while in the second innings he plundered 231 from 268 deliveries.

The match eventually ended as a draw on Sunday as NCC ended the final day on 579 for six.