While his team-mates withered in the glare of the Boxing Day spotlight, master batsman Kumar Sangakkara was the one beacon among the overwhelming gloom for Sri Lanka at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The 35-year-old became only the 11th cricketer to surpass 10,000 runs in his fighting 58 against Australia on Wednesday but had little time to celebrate with his batting partners, who surrendered meekly on the opening day of the second Test.
The ICC Cricketer of the Year unleashed a sublime array of shots, blasting imperious cover drives to the fence and straight past the bowler before skying a catch to wicket-keeper Matthew Wade off the bowling of Mitchell Johnson.
That snuffed out the tourists' hopes of a face-saving tally as Sri Lanka were bowled out for a measly 156 runs before tea but Sangakkara at least provided a three-hour feast for more than 67,000 festive spectators at the MCG.
“I think everybody watching thoroughly enjoyed the elegance of the player,” Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford told reporters. “He's very popular in the dressing room and to see him achieve that, everybody's absolutely delighted.”
10,000-club
- Sachin Tendulkar* (India):15,645 runs.
- Ricky Ponting (Aus): 13,378.
- Rahul Dravid (Ind): 13,288.
- Jacques Kallis* (SA): 12,980.
- Brian Lara (W Indies): 11,953.
- Allan Border (Aus): 11,174.
- Steve Waugh (Aus): 10,927.
- S Chanderpaul (W Indies): 10,696.
- M Jayawardene* (SL):10,674.
- Sunil Gavaskar (Ind): 10,122.
- K Sangakkara* (SL): 10,018.
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