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Sangakkara's new first in County blitz

The 39-year-old legend has ticked off a brand new milestone as latest century takes him past 1,000 runs for a season only halfway done

Already cemented as a legend of the game and one of the greatest ever batsmen, with more than 12,000 Test runs to his name, it seemed like there would be little more for Kumar Sangakkara to achieve.

Yet the current round of County Championship action has seen the Sri Lankan icon notch up an all-new career first: a first-class century against the pink ball in a day-night match.

Sangakkara's century, his sixth this season, helped Surrey to 7-516 dec against Yorkshire. The Sri Lankan was unbeaten, 180 not out from 183 balls when Surrey closed their innings.

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The left-hander hit 21 fours and four sixes in his knock.

Sangakkara has now meted out punishment to bowlers of the red, white and pink balls across a 20-year first-class career.

The latest milestone came as he became the first batter to pass 1,000 runs for the current County Championship season, coming in his 11th match, and his run-scoring feats show little signs of slowing in his final season of first-class cricket.



He has scored 1,086 first-class runs so far this season - 271 ahead of the closest batsman – which takes him above 21,00 career first-class runs.

Resuming the second day at Headingley on 82, Sangakkara scored 98 of the 142 made by Surrey on a heavily rain-affected day.

Surrey's Tom Curran, who put on 158 in a seventh-wicket stand with the 39-year-old, had the best seat in the house to watch the master at work.

"It was another masterclass from the great man. He's been unbelievable. His record speaks for itself," Curran told BBC Radio London.

"He's a great player and a great man, and I was honoured to be out there watching him do his thing. It was a great experience for me. He makes it look a lot easier than I do."

Yorkshire assistant coach Rich Pyrah was left frustrated by his side's bowlers inconsistency.

"Kumar obviously played really well, but I didn't think we hit our lengths as consistently as we can. It's a little bit frustrating," Pyrah told BBC Radio Leeds.

"But he's a class player. When he's playing like that at the end, it's very difficult to stop him scoring."