June 06: Mahela Jayawardene’s First Test Century

On this day in 1998, Sri Lankan batting great Mahela Jayawardene announced his arrival on the Test stage with a sublime maiden century. Playing against New Zealand at the Galle International Stadium, Jayawardene scored a composed 167 runs, anchoring Sri Lanka’s innings and guiding them to a total of 323 in the first innings. This innings marked the beginning of a legendary Test career that would span over a decade.