Kamindu Mendis Scores Fifth Test Century
Kamindu Mendis scored his fifth Test century in just 13 innings, celebrating this achievement in his hometown of Galle. He reached his second century in a row during the series as Sri Lanka built a strong lead of 519 runs by the Tea break on Day 2.
Solid Performance Against New Zealand
Sri Lanka’s batting performance has been impressive, with Kusal Mendis also contributing a half-century after Dhananjaya de Silva fell short by six runs. The day began well for New Zealand when Glenn Phillips dismissed Angelo Mathews early, who missed his century by just 12 runs. However, Kamindu quickly made his mark, scoring his record-breaking century soon after Lunch.
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Strong Batting Continuation
Kamindu and De Silva worked together effectively, adding 74 runs after Mathews’ departure. While Kamindu started cautiously, he quickly found his rhythm. An early six off Phillips showed his intent, and he used various shots, including a reverse sweep, to score boundaries. Just as they were gaining control, De Silva became Phillips’ second wicket of the session with a sweep, similar to Mathews’ dismissal.
Kamindu’s Century and Close Calls
After the break, Kamindu reached his milestone but faced a few tense moments, surviving an LBW review, a missed stumping opportunity, and an overturned caught decision as the spinners began to exploit the pitch. Alongside Kusal Mendis, he turned the pressure back on the bowlers. Whenever there was a chance, Kamindu took it, and his confidence inspired Kusal, who reached his fifty with an impressive sequence of boundaries against Phillips.
Brief Match Summary
Sri Lanka: 519/5
- Dinesh Chandimal: 116
- Kamindu Mendis: 135*
- Angelo Mathews: 88
- Kusal Mendis: 70*
- Glenn Phillips: 3-116
Sri Lanka is in a strong position against New Zealand.
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