Emerging from the lowly depths of finding himself out of the starting line-up after just a solitary game at National level recently to dictating terms as the top performer at the prime domestic long version championship was indeed a triumphant reawakening scripting by the young 23-year old all-round prodigy Kamindu Mendis.

There couldn’t have been a better stage than the Rs. 5 million prize money and trophy pot of gold allure to the championship title for Kandy’s skipper to showcase himself. Not that Mendis descended from the blues. He had done enough to becoming arguably the country’s most telling Under-19 find in recent times.

But in the harsh grinds where to make the final eleven has become a virtual toss up the backdrop was of producing the extraordinary to be counted. The slogan word of continuity of steely latent talent had not been an apparent guiding groove for young Mendis as he maximised the domestic stage to showcasing his prowess, that he led from the front in the astute of calling the shots as an imaginative captain as well as the bat was the high point of Kamindu Mendis’ success story to coming thumbs up.

Topping it all was Mendis’ Player of the Tournament batting performance. The left-hander walked the walk in the willow works of four centuries and as many half tons to decorating himself as the tournament highest run getter in an aggregate of 886 runs. It was tall stuff underlining tremendous potential. Indeed, the youngster who broke out to the game as an all-rounder who can alternatively bowl with either arm, has signalled his arrival of young stock ready to raise his hands for his country with the right nurturing.