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Bairstow, Root break century-old record

Yorkshire pair put Surrey to the sword with lightning-fast 372-run partnership in County Championship

England pair Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root carved out a place in history during day two of Yorkshire's County Championship clash with Surrey in Leeds.

With Sri Lanka in the country for the first Test at Headingley beginning Thursday week, Bairstow (198) and Root (190no) tuned up in serious style, combining for a fourth-wicket stand of 372 – the highest partnership ever forged at the famous old venue.

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Yorkshire had been in early strife at 3-45 in the 11th over in reply to Surrey's 330 before the pair turned the tables spectacularly, motoring along at 5.55 runs per over throughout the course of their stay, which lasted 67 overs with the score at 4-417.

It was only ended when Bairstow picked out Kumar Sangakkara at first slip as he pursued what would have been a second double century inside a month, following on from the 246 he made against Hampshire.

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Bairstow set the pace early, motoring to his century in 96 balls, though Root was only slightly more sedate, reaching his own milestone in 110 deliveries.

Both innings came at a strike-rate of 85, and by the close Yorkshire had extended their lead to 156 with five wickets still in hand, including that of England's talisman, Root, who was again imperious in finding the boundary on 20 occasions and clearing it once in the 221 balls that he faced.

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The partnership also broke a 117-year-old mark for the best stand by a Yorkshire pair against Surrey, which had been achieved by George Hirst and Ted Wainwright in 1899.

Bairstow and Root also topped the more recent Headingley record – also for the fourth wicket – made by current Australia coach Darren Lehmann and former England batsman Michael Lumb for Yorkshire against Durham in September 2006.  

Lehmann made 339 that day, the second-highest score ever made for the county. 

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