By Srian Obeyesekere

Skipper Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis made test cricket history becoming the 93rd and 94th batsmen to score twin centuries – 102 and 108 and 102 and 164 respectively as Sri Lanka was on the brink of victory with Bangladesh reeling on 47 for 5 wickets chasing a mammoth 511 for victory at stumps on the third day of the first test match following a 418 run avalanche by the Lankans as the seventh-wicket duo mounted 173 in putting the hosts out of the game having come together with the score 126 for 6 following the exit of nightwatchman Vishwa Fernando for 4 on a track that held strong for both batting and bowling, particularly the seamers at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium as Fernando was to thunder back adding 3 more wickets to his first innings 4 and Lahiru Kumara and Kasun Rajitha a wicket each to the 3 each in the first innings.

Indeed, it was a grand repeat show by Mendis and De Silva in similar circumstances as the first innings when they came together with the score 47 for 5 in a 202 bonding for the sixth wicket. If that was the cornerstone to Sr Lanka’s box seat domination over Bangladesh, their milestone act on Sunday was to so cascade in a run flow to etching their names in the record books. While the Lankan captain, aged 32 years, was the first to enter the twin century record books in a truly mercurial Captain Marvel role of typically leading from the front by his 179-ball 108 tucked with 9 boundaries and 2 sixes as he sighted a great maiden overseas triumph thrust into the big captaincy boots, 25-year old Kamindu Mendis indeed set the Bangladesh terrain alight in a swordsman like 164-ball butchery of the Bangladesh attack smashing 16 boundaries and 6 sixes to by and large signaling his arrival in big time cricket from an 8-year wait in the wilderness despite having stroked a pleasing debut half century against Australia in Galle.  

The last time the twin century feat was achieved was by New Zealander Kane Williamson on February 4 this year scoring 118 and 109 against South Africa at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui while the first to do so was Australian Warren Bardsley who scored136 and 130 versus England on August 9, 1909 at the Oval followed by Jack Russel of England 140 and 111 versus South Africa on February 16, 1923 at Kingsmead Cricket Ground, Durban.

Bangladesh’s run chase was good as over in just 8.4 overs with the bouncy Vishwa Fernando generating great movement in hastening the way to what would be a champagne wrap up by tomorrow’s penultimate day when he trapped Mahmudul Hasan Joy for a duck fourth ball of the innings leg before wicket without a run on the board followed by Kasun Rajitha claiming the key wicket of Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto caught by Karunaratne for 6 – 2 for 9 in 2 overs. Lahiru Kumara accounted for the third taking a return catch to send back Zakir Hasan for 19. Fernando made the fourth his take having Shahadat Hossain caught behind by Kusal Mendis for a duck four deliveries later and further nailed the hosts with his third wicket also sending back Litton Das for a duck caught by Angelo Mathews as the hosts limped on 37 for 5 at stumps after 8.4 overs.

CHIEF SCORES:

Sri Lanka 280 

(Dhananjaya de Silva 102, Kamindu Mendis 102)

And 418 (110.4 Overs)

(Kamindu Mendis 164, Dhananjaya de Silva 108, Dimuth Karunaratne 52, Prabath Jayasuriya 25, Angelo Mathews 22, Kasun Rajitha n.o. 4, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 4/74, Tijul Islam 2/75, Nahid Rana 2/128, Khaled Ahmed 1/46, Shoriful Islam 1/75)

Bangladesh 188 and 47/5 (13 Overs) 

(Zakir Hasan 19, Mominul Haque n.o. 7, Taijul Islam n.o. 6, Vishwa Fernando 3/13 , Lahiru Kumara 1/6, Kasun Rajitha 1/19)