2nd Test: Record-breaking Kamindu Mendis places Sri Lanka in the box seat

Galle, Sep 27 (IANS) Kamindu Mendis scored an unbeaten 182 as he became the fastest Asian batter to complete 1000 Test runs on the second day of the second Test against New Zealand at Galle International Stadium here on Friday. Mendis scored his fifth Test century along with Kusal Mendis, who compiled the third century of the innings for the hosts, powering Sri Lanka to a monumental 602/5 before declaring in the final session.

Kamindu reached his 1000 Test runs in 13 innings, equalling Don Bradman as the joint second-quickest to the feat. Kamindu reached the milestone during his 200-run partnership with Kusal for the sixth wicket before Dhananjaya de Silva called them back to the pavilion.

Kamindu might have missed the opportunity to score his first Test double-century but he reached his highest score in the format with a knock of 182 including 16 fours and four sixes.

Overnight batters, Angelo Mathews and Kamindu added just 28 runs to the scoreboard before the former was removed by Glenn Phillips while playing a sweep early in the day. Mathews departed after scoring 88 with the help of seven fours.

However, the support from the other end didn’t stop for Kamindu as he went on to stitch partnerships of 74 and 200 with Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal, respectively. During the process, Kusal smashed his 10th Test hundred to add to the hosts’ batting dominance.

The other wicket of De Silva (44) was bagged by Phillips while attempting a similar shot in the opening session of the day. However, as the pitch began to offer more turn, Kamindu and Kusal took control. Facing a tiring attack, Kusal’s aggressive approach found the perfect rhythm.

Kamindu capitalised on every chance for a lofted shot, smashing four sixes, and his growing confidence began to influence Kusal. Kusal reached his half-century in style, hitting Phillips for 4, 6, and 4 in quick succession, effectively dismantling the off-spinner’s lengths.

This contrasted sharply with how Kamindu started his day following Mathews’ early departure. He adopted a cautious approach in his partnership with De Silva, who, in contrast, began assertively.

De Silva’s intent was clear from the start with a six off Phillips, and he repeatedly employed the sweep shot to find boundaries. At one point, he even encouraged Kamindu to attempt a reverse sweep. However, just as they were beginning to solidify their partnership, De Silva fell as Phillips claimed his second wicket of the day.

After the break, Kamindu reached his fifth Test century in only his eighth match. He survived a few close calls, including an LBW review, a missed stumping, and an overturned-caught decision as the spinners started to extract more from the surface. But with Sri Lanka already in a commanding position, both he and Kusal turned the pressure back on the spinners.

Phillips, who had been a consistent threat during the first session with occasional drift troubling the right-handers, was later dominated by the duo, posing little danger.

In stark contrast, Sri Lanka’s spinners found a significant turn when they got their opportunity, raising puffs of dust from the pitch. Prabath Jayasuriya dismissed Devon Conway at slip, while earlier, New Zealand had already been on the back foot with the loss of Tom Latham, who edged Asitha Fernando to the slips. By the end of the day, New Zealand was in a precarious position of 22/2, trailing by 580 runs.

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 602/5 decl. in 163.4 overs (Dinesh Chandimal 116, Kamindu Mendis 182*, Kusal Mendis 106*; Glenn Phillips 3-141) lead New Zealand 22/2 in 14 overs (Asitha Fernando 1-5, Prabath Jayasuriya 1-3) by 580 runs.

–IANS

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