KAMINDU MENDIS FASTEST TO 8 TEST FIFTIES

By Srian Obeyesekere

Dinesh Chandimal stroked an equisite 113, his 15 test century in a throbning centerpiece display by the 34-year old former captain that was a resounding hit back to selectors for a pushed back wilderness career to Sri Lanka’s massive box seat 366 for 3 on the opening day of the second test yesterday at the Galle International Cricket Stadium. Sri Lanka’s domination over New Zealand was also highlighted by the unbeaten Angelo Mathews on 78 off 166 balls tucked with 6 boundaries and the record breaking Kamindu Mendis onto his eighth test fifty surpassing Pakistani Saud Shakeel’s seven.

Having walked into the middle in his newly elevated No 3:slot, after New Zealand had seen the back of Pathum Nissanka, Sri Lanka’s century making match winner against England, for 1, i ndeed, Chandimal was the epitome of class and technique as he took on the New Zealand attack treating both the pace of William O’Rourke, Tim Southee and Phillips and spin of Ajaz Patel with disdain in his 208-balk knock cascaded in 15 boundaries.

The day did also belong very much to young discovery Kamindu Mendis who raced his way to becoming the fastest to eight half test centuries from eight outings in a 56-ball 51 in going past Pakistani Saud Shakeel’s record of seven. There he was looming tall as ever in a typical portraying of the 25-year old left-hander’s ballooning consistency groove Mendis has insulated his name as a record breaker.

He had crossed the boundary on eight occasions to finishing unbeaten to what by all accounts was the promise of bigger things come the second day having coloured the arena in a flow of shot making.
New Zealand would be ruing their bad fielding of several dropped catches with Karunaratne, Mathews and Kamindu Mendis the beneficiaries.

Sri Lanka 306 for 3 (Chandimal 116, Mathews 78, Kamindu 51, Phillips 1-33) vs New Zealand