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Kusal Mendis finished with 106* in double century stand with Kamindu Mendis
Sa’adi Thawfeeq reporting from Galle
Kamindu Mendis once again emphasised himself as one of the most exciting talents in international cricket and Test cricket’s biggest rising star as he helped himself to yet another Test century in his budding career to put Sri Lanka in a commanding position at the end of the second day of the second cricket Test against New Zealand at the Galle International Cricket Stadium yesterday.
On an overcast day where the bat dominated over the ball, Sri Lanka took a stranglehold of the Test by piling up their highest total against New Zealand 602-5 declared and then hit back hard to capture two wickets for 22 to have the opponents on the back foot. It won’t be easy from hereon for New Zealand as Prabath Jayasuriya, the key Sri Lankan spinner looked dangerous as he got the ball to turn square of the surface against Kane Williamson who is unbeaten on 6 with night-watchman Ajaz Patel on 0*.
New Zealand’s first target is to avoid the follow-on by getting to 403. At this stage it seems far off and an uphill task to get there with the pitch now starting to assist the spinners.
The day however belonged to the two Mendis’ – Kamindu and Kusal who shared Sri Lanka’s highest partnership for any wicket against New Zealand at home by putting on 200* for the sixth wicket off 271 balls. Both batsmen certainly established themselves in their new batting positions. Kamindu who was promoted from no. 7 to 5 sprinted to his fifth ton and second in successive Tests against the Black Caps off 147 balls. He made 114 in the first Test and yesterday a career best 182* off 250 balls (16 fours, 4 sixes). Kusal dropped from no. 3 to no. 7 contributed 106* off 149 balls (6 fours, 3 sixes) having made a fifty in the first Test. For the first time since the England series, the Lankan batting clicked and displayed its might with virtually all the top and middle-order batters contributing.
Kamindu in particular was the star of the show, breaking several batting records on his way to his fifth Test century. He made history by becoming the third-fastest ever to get to 1000 runs - doing so in just 13 innings, equalling the great Australian Don Bradman and, he joined an elite list in the process. He got there in style with a six off part-time spinner Rachin Ravindra, after which Sri Lanka closed their innings.
Kamindu also became the fastest Asian batter to score five Test centuries reaching it in 13 innings and once again equalling Bradman. He is now the joint-third fastest player globally, sharing the spot with Bradman and West Indies’ George Headley. Only West Indian Everton Weekes (10), Englishman Herbert Sutcliffe (12) and Australian Neil Harvey (12) have scaled the mark quicker than them. This achievement also breaks Pakistan’s Fawad Alam’s record for the fastest Asian to five Test centuries, which was previously set in 22 innings. Kamindu surpassed Sri Lankan legend Aravinda de Silva, who took 38 innings to reach the same mark. He also surpassed Joe Root (4) for most Test hundreds this year.
New Zealand had a slightly better session in the morning where they managed to capture two wickets both falling to the off-breaks of Glenn Phillips. Angelo Mathews popped an easy catch to short-fine leg when he top edged a sweep and was dismissed for 88 scored off 185 balls (7 fours). On the stroke of lunch Dhananjaya de Silva was also out in similar fashion offering wicket-keeper Tom Blundell a catch with his score on 44. That was all the success New Zealand had as they went through a wicket-less afternoon session with the two Mendis’ dominating proceedings. New Zealand’s sloppiness on the field didn’t help them either and the Lankan batsmen capitalised on every mistake they made.
