Sri Lankan batsman achieves unique feat; scores two double centuries in a first-class match
What's the story?
In a first-class match in Sri Lanka, Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC) captain Angelo Perera achieved a unique feat of scoring two double centuries in the same match.
Perera hit 201 runs off 203 balls in the first innings before playing a beautiful innings of 231 runs off 268 balls in the second innings against a Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), featuring Dhammika Prasad and Sachithra Senanayake.
The background
Angelo Perera is a right-handed batting all-rounder who has represented the Sri Lankan international side in four ODIs and two T20Is.
He had made his ODI debut way back in 2013 against South Africa at Pallekele but an under-par performance led to his ouster from the team.
He made his return to the ODI team in 2016 for the series against Australia but repeated failures in both the batting and the bowling departments led to the Sri Lankan selectors axing him from the team once again.
The heart of the matter
Angelo Perera has been playing in the Sri Lankan first-class league for the Nondescripts Cricket Club in order to place his bid to return to the Sri Lankan team.
The captain of the NCC played two big innings in the same first-class match which may help him to receive a national call-up.
Perera achieved a unique feat. This has happened only for the second time in cricket history, with Kent batsman Arthur Fagg, then 23, being the first batsman to hit two double hundreds (244 and 202 not out) in the same game against Essex.
What's next?
The four-day match between Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC) and Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) ended in a draw as the SSC ground's pitch was extremely flat with the lowest of three-team totals being 444.
But by scoring two double hundreds in the same game, Angelo Perera has made a case for himself in front of the Sri Lankan selectors.