Australia batsman Matthew Hayden wiped Brian Lara's individual Test scoring record from the history books with a spectacular innings of 380 in the first Test against Zimbabwe on Friday.
Hayden's mammoth effort beat the previous mark of 375 set by West Indies batsman Lara against England in 1994.
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Hayden then kissed his baggy green cap and was bear-hugged by team mate Adam Gilchrist.
"I can't quite believe it, to be honest," Hayden said. "I'm just thrilled that I was wearing the baggy green cap when the record was broken."
The Australian was finally caught at deep square leg by Stuart Carlisle off Trevor Gripper for 380 shortly after tea on the second day.
Australia declared on 735 for six immediately after Hayden's dismissal with Gilchrist unbeaten on 113. Hayden struck 38 fours and 11 sixes from 437 balls in 622 minutes at the crease.
Each member of the Zimbabwe team also congratulated Hayden as he walked from the field at tea on 376 not out.
Australia captain Steve Waugh and his side formed a guard of honour for Hayden, who was mobbed by team mates and fans as he walked up to the changing rooms.
BRADMAN SURPASSED
The 31-year-old had resumed on his overnight score of 183 not out after blazing 107 in the evening session on Thursday.
Hayden, who has hit six hundreds in his last 12 Tests, had a previous highest score of 203 and possesses an excellent strike-rate of 15 centuries in his 45 Tests.
The powerfully-built left hander reached his 300 with a single to mid-off from the bowling of Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak.
Hayden took a single to long-off to reach 335, passing the previous Australia record of 334 shared by former captain Mark Taylor and the great Don Bradman.
Dropped at long-on on 335, Hayden then smashed his 10th six as wicketkeeper Gilchrist slipped almost unnoticed into the nineties.
Hayden hit another straight six to advance to 364, equalling the mark of England's Len Hutton against Australia at The Oval in 1938, before a single put him alongside West Indian Garfield Sobers' mark of 365 not out against Pakistan in 1957-58.
Hayden shared partnerships of 97 with Damien Martyn (53), 207 with captain Steve Waugh (78) and 96 with Darren Lehmann (30) plus 233 with Gilchrist.
Gilchrist's hundred, his ninth century in 46 matches, was also a powerful knock but was completely overshadowed by Hayden's heroics.
Gilchrist hit 12 fours and four sixes in 95 balls and Australia scored at better than five runs per over from 146.3 overs. Their total of 735 was the sixth-highest total in Test cricket.
For Zimbabwe young right-arm paceman Sean Ervine, in his third Test, took 4-146 from 31 overs. Left-arm spinner Ray Price suffered most with figures of 0-187 from 36 overs.
But the Africans began their reply well as Dion Ebrahim and Trevor Gripper shared an opening stand of 61 in 97 minutes.
Ebrahim was bowled by Jason Gillespie for 29. Gripper remained 37 not out with Mark Vermeulen on nine.
On 79 for one at the close, Zimbabwe were 656 runs behind Australia's daunting total.
Scorecard:
Australia first innings:
J.Langer b Ervine 26
M.Hayden c Carlisle b Gripper 380
R.Ponting lbw b Ervine 37
D.Martyn c Wishart b Gripper 53
S.Waugh c and b Ervine 78
D.Lehmann c and b Ervine 30
A.Gilchrist not out 113
Extras: (b-4 lb-10 w-1 nb-3) 18
Total: (for six wickets dec., 146.3 overs) 735
Did not bat: A.Bichel, B.Lee, J.Gillespie, S.MacGill.
Fall of wickets: 1-43, 2-102, 3-199, 4-406, 5-502, 6-735.
Bowling: Streak 26-6-131-0, Bliganut 28-4-115-0 (nb-3 w-1) Ervine 31-4-146-4, Price 36-5-187-0, Gripper 25.3-0-142-2.
Zimbabwe first innings:
D.Ebrahim b Gillespie 29
T.Gripper not out 37
M.Vermeulen not out 9
Extras: (lb-1 w-1 nb-2) 4
Total: (for one wicket, 31 overs) 79
To bat: H.Streak (captain), S.Carlisle, C.Wishart, T.Taibu, C.Evans, A.Blignaut, S.Ervine, R.Price.
Fall of wicket: 1-61.
Bowling: Lee 6-1-21-0 (nb-1 w-1), Gillespie 10-4-15-1, Bichel 7-0-25-0 (nb-1), MacGill 7-2-17-0, Lehmann 1-1-0-0.
