Dunamis Player of the Week: Sangakkara

2015 World Cup

Cricket365
March 7, 2015

England, you're making it very difficult, nay impossible, to pick any of you for our Dunamis UK Player of the Week, and Joe Root, your effort against Sri Lanka was admirable, but we cannot ignore the genius that is Kumar Sangakkara.

The Sri Lanka veteran recorded his second century in as many matches, contributing to 300-plus scores, with just one wicket down both times, twice in a row. His knock against England saw Sri Lanka chase down 310 with nine wickets in hand.

Root had made 121 runs while the rest of the order contributed middling scores, and no-one else managed a half ton. As has been the case rather often in the recent past, Root waved a weary bat upon recording his ton, having done much of the job on his own.

Sangakkara, as he had against Bangladesh a few days prior, raced to a century at one end while his batting partner was more sedate. Tillekaratne Dilshan and then Lahiru Thirimanne benefited from Sanga's strike rate, and could calmly compose their tons.

Against the Tigers his ton came off 73 balls and he ended the innings on 105 not out, while against England he rollicked to 117 not out off just 86 balls. Not a single England paceman took a wicket, and all went at more that six to the over.

Honourable mention goes to South Africa's Hashim Amla, who made 159 in South Africa's massive 411 for four against Ireland. It was the second game in a row that the Proteas had scored 400-plus, the first time that had ever happened in ODI history.

Also, Scotland opener Kyle Coetzer's 156 off 134 balls was an incredible effort against Bangladesh, but it went agonisingly in vain as the Tigers chased down the 319 required. Scotland the Brave(ly trying not to cry).