Australia’s present Test opening batsmen Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer are going great guns with several double century partnerships and could easily become the best in the world.

Including the first innings of the Third and Final Test against the South Africans in Australia the duo has equalled the number of double century stands which have been held by that dynamic West Indies duo Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes.

In comparison to Hayden and Langer, Greenidge and Haynes were typical run machines and it was a headache to any bowling side to contain them. Greenidge and Haynes on their day not only belted any attack, but also scored their runs quickly which was the platform for their team to amass massive totals.

Hayden and Langer began their double century mission against the New Zealanders and continued the good work against the more powerful Proteas.

However, Australia takes top billing in the double century statistics and table with Hayden and Langer on par with four with Greenidge and Haynes, followed by former Australian skipper Mark Taylor and Michael Slater (3), Bill Lawry and former Aussies skipper Bob Simpson (3) and England’s duo of Michael Atherton and Graham Gooch also on 3.

In the One Dayers played last year (2001), the batting and bowling figures have been led by Sri Lankans. Mahela Jayawardane leads the batting, followed by Sanath Jayasuriya, Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower and Marvan Atapattu.

Muttiah Muralitharan heads the bowlers column followed by Australian Glen McGrath. (RLF)