Records falter

LONDON: England stars Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow warmed up for next week’s first Test against Sri Lanka in record-breaking style as they shattered a host of Yorkshire records in their triple-century stand against Surrey on Monday.

Root finished the second day of the County Championship fixture unbeaten on 190, while Bairstow scored 198 as the pair put on a fourth-wicket partnership of 372 to help First Division champions Yorkshire reach 486-5 at Headingley.

Having joined forces at 45-3 early in the day’s play, it took only 67 overs of blistering stroke-play from Root and Bairstow to etch their names into the Yorkshire record books.

Yorkshire’s highest stand against Surrey, George Hirst and Ted Wainwright’s 340 at The Oval in 1899, was the first milestone surpassed before they overtook Darren Lehmann and Michael Lumb’s 358, the all-time club best for the fourth wicket just 10 years ago.

Eventually all but four of Yorkshire’s top partnerships under any category were all surpassed in a dazzling display that must be heartening for England when they return to Headingley to face Sri Lanka next Thursday.