The Chairman’s XI innings was brought to a close at 6-439 early on day two of their clash with Sri Lanka, with opener Scott Henry smashing an unbeaten 207 in Canberra.
Requiring 28 runs to reach the milestone on Friday, and with an automatic declaration looming after 100 overs, as per the rules of the three-day game, Henry went about chasing quick runs in the 10 overs on offer on day two.
He thumped six boundaries, including back-to-back fours off Dhammika Prasad which allowed him to fly past 200.
The second of those, a textbook cover drive, crashed into the boundary as Henry raised his bat, with the hosts adding 49 to their overnight total.
Prasad, who went for 0-101 on Thursday, struck two blows by removing Travis Head (35) and Sam Whiteman (4) to finish with 2-128, the only multiple wicket-taker for Sri Lanka.
While Prasad copped most of the punishment from Henry on Friday, he was the most effective Sri Lankan bowler on day two.
Head failed to add to his overnight score and was out hooking to Chanaka Welegedara on the boundary off Prasad, while Whiteman offered a simple caught-and-bowled chance to the right-arm quick.
Henry’s brief cameo on day two was a continuation of his brilliant innings on Thursday, in which he smacked a hapless second-string Sri Lankan attack to all parts of Manuka Oval.
Along with Glenn Maxwell, who hit a blistering 91 off 77 balls, and Usman Khawaja, a classy 56 which could have easily been a century, Henry turned the first day of Sri Lanka’s Australian tour into a nightmare.
Sri Lanka rested four of their big names, including captain-in-waiting Angelo Mathews, star spinner Rangana Herath and middle-order batsman Thilan Samaraweera.