Sri Lanka’s rising cricket sensation Kamindu Mendis missed out on a fine hundred on Day 4 of the opening Test against Bangladesh in Galle. With his 80th run in the game, the youngster also went past 5,000 runs in First-Class cricket. He, however, missed out on his sixth Test hundred. It was an important knock from Kamindu Mendis which powered SL past 450. Notably, the Tigers posted 495/10 while batting first. Kamindu Mendis was eventually dismissed for 87.
The Lankans were well placed at 293/3 when Kamindu Mendis arrived on the third day. He recorded 35-plus stands with Pathum Nissanka (187) and Dhananjaya de Silva (19) to put the hosts further on command. While Kamindu Mendis was unbeaten on 37*at stumps on Day 3, he brought up his fifty on Day 4 morning. He further recorded an 84-run partnership alongside Milan Priyanath Rathnayake (39) for the seventh wicket. Off-spinner Nayeem Hasan eventually trapped Kamindu Mendis.
Kamindu Mendis’s 87 off 148 balls saw him smoke eight fours and a maximum. Playing his 57th First-Class match as per ESPNcricinfo, Kamindu Mendis has raced past 5,000 runs (now 5,008) at a stunning average of 61-plus. No other SL batter with at least 3,000 FC runs averages 60-plus. This was the batter’s 24th FC fifty as the tally also includes 18 tons (HS: 200*).
Meanwhile, Kamindu Mendis has been in phenomenal form in Test cricket as well, amassing 1,271 runs from 13 games at an impressive average of 63.55. This includes five tons and as many fifties. During his stay, Kamindu Mendis also went past 500 runs (now 531) at home as his average in this regard is 66.37 (100s: 2, 50s: 2).
Meanwhile, this was his fourth 50-plus score across five innings against the Tigers (100s: 2). The tally includes 454 runs at 113.5.Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are competing in the 1st Test of the 2-game series at the Galle International Stadium. On Day 4, the Tigers wrapped up Lanka’s second inning to build a massive lead and remain in the driver’s seat.
Sri Lanka Crumble After Kamindu Mendis’ Gritty Half century
At the start of Day 4, Sri Lanka were in a comfortable position despite Pathum Nissanka’s dismissal on 187. Kamindu Mendis and Angelo Mathews knitted a good partnership and the former went on to hit a half-century. However, batting on 87, Mendis was sent back by Nayeem Hasan. Rathnayake rebuilt the innings with an 84-run partnership with Mathews.
But Hasan Mahmud and Nayeem took the game away from them by inducing a massive collapse. After Rathnayake’s wicket in the 127th over, Sri Lanka lost 4 wickets in 7.2 overs and scored just 20 runs. They got bowled out for 485 runs in the second inning, with Bangladesh managing to save a marginal 10-run lead. Nayeem Hasan walked off with his head held high as he picked a 5-wicket-haul with Hasan chipping in with 3 wickets.
Earlier in the day, it was off-spinner Nayeem Hasan who turned the tide for the tourists in Sri Lanka’s first innings. With the hosts perched on a commanding 470-6 and threatening to surge ahead, Nayeem swooped in. His five-wicket haul — his fourth in test cricket — was a masterclass in flight, dip and guile, as he rattled the lower order to bowl Sri Lanka out for 485, a lead of merely 10.
The prized wicket was Kamindu Mendis, who had become something of a recurring nightmare for Bangladesh. The ambidextrous maestro was coasting on 87 — scarcely playing a false stroke — when Nayeem found extra bounce and subtle turn to kiss the outside edge, Litton Das gobbling up the catch with glee.
In the third inning, Bangladesh lost their first wicket at just 24 runs. Anamul Haque was fooled by Prabath Jayasuriya. Mominul Haque contributed with 14 runs before Tharindu Ratnayake sent him back. Opener Shadman Islam and captain Najmul Shanto rebuilt the inning with a 68-run partnership for the 3rd wicket.
Islam scored 76 off 126 before Ratnayake trapped him in LBW dismissal. However, Shanto brought up his half-century and is still on the crease. Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim remained unbeaten on a 49-run partnership and soared Bangladesh’s total to 177/3 at the end of Day 4’s play. They managed to pile up a 187-run lead with 3 sessions still left to go in the Test match. Ahead of Day 5 both Kamindu Mendis and Nayeem Hasan are confident about their respective teams win on the ultimate Day 5.
Kamindu Mendis of SriLanka and Nayeem Hasan of Bangladesh both sees the winning ways on Day 5.
With Bangladesh currently 187 runs ahead, though needing to get 10 Sri Lanka wickets to seal the result, a Bangladesh win also seems a posssibility in this match, particularly as there is dust exploding out of the surface most times a ball pitches, and the spin is beginning to become pronounced and fast.
In any case, both teams think they have routes to victory. Bangladesh spinner Nayeem Hasan put it this way.
“We have every opportunity to go for the win once we have a good total on board,” Nayeem, who took his fourth five-wicket haul in Tests, said on day four in Galle.
“A lot of things can happen on the fifth day wicket. We have a positive mindset going into the last day.”
Kamindu Mendis, who scored 87 in Sri Lanka’s first innings, thinks pretty much any result is possible.
“The match is open to both sides. They’ve only lost three wickets for now, but in the morning session if we get two or three wickets early, we will be ascendant. What we wanted in the first innings was a lead of about 150, but we didn’t get there.
“But tomorrow, if we can get them out inside a session, or even in the second session, that is enough. We’ve been able to have a higher run rate than them, so a session and a half is enough for us. As a team we have confidence that we can win this. The run rate will change as the pitch changes.”
Bangladesh, meanwhile, will focus on setting a tough target first, before setting spinners loose.
“If we can give them a good target, they will be under pressure,” Nayeem said.
“There’s a difference between playing normal cricket and playing under pressure. They will also be worried about losing the game. We want to give a good total.”
Bangladesh held the upper hand at the end of Day 4 of the series-opening cricket test against Sri Lanka, reaching 177-3 in their second innings to lead by 187 runs Friday. With seven wickets in the hutch and the pitch beginning to show signs of wear and tear, the tourists will fancy their chances of pulling off a rare test victory overseas and pocketing some precious World Test Championship points in the process.
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