Yesterday Chris Gayle broke the back of the Sri Lankan attack with a blistering double ton. Today, he took aim at the records, as his side went to tea after having amassed 532 for the loss of three wickets.
First to go was the stadium record. Mahela Jayawardene's 237 was eclipsed in morning session by a subdued Gayle who seemed a more determined version of the swashbuckling dynamo that set the ground alight on day one. Soon after lunch, Gayle bettered Rohan Kanhai's 256 in Kolkata to make the highest score by a West Indian in the subcontinent - breaking a record that had stood for 48 years. He then progressed towards his highest Test score, accumulating steadily alongside Brendan Nash, who had shaken off the jitters from the first session to make a half-century and play an assured supporting role.
Gayle became just the fourth Test batsman, after Don Bradman, Brian Lara and Virender Sehwag to make two triple-centuries when he crashed Ajantha Mendis through the covers late in the session.
Perhaps his century celebration yesterday was a little more colourful, but the unmistakeable satisfaction of taking his team to a position from where they could very well end their Test match drought on Sri Lankan soil was writ across his face as he knelt mid pitch to soak in the applause. A giant strike over long-on and a few singles later, Gayle went on to surpass his personal best of 317 against South Africa. He was later bowled by Mendis for 333.
