Sri Lanka 211/5 Dhananjaya 64, Kamindu 54, Nissanka 64: England 325
Rex Clementine in London
Former captain and Head Coach of the national cricket team Sanath Jayasuriya believes that young Kamindu Mendis is a great find for Sri Lankan cricket. The left-handed middle order batsman has hit a purple patch since he was recalled for the team and in ten innings has scored three hundreds and four half-centuries so far.
The former Sri Lanka under-19 captain is in line to break past great Roy Dias’ long standing record for quickest Sri Lankan to score 1000 runs in Test cricket. Roy had got to the milestone in 23 innings and it seems Kamindu will got there a lot quicker.
“Both Kamindu and Dhananjaya have shown great character. They know that they are the last two recognized batters. Both have done well. Kamindu is a great find for the team. Batting at six and seven are tough. It’s overcast and ball is moving and we should give them credit for the way they have gone about things,” Jayasuriya told journalists.
Sri Lanka were in trouble at 93 for five with England’s seamers causing havoc, but Kamindu and Dhananjaya stitched a crucial 118 run partnership to take Sri Lanka’s total to 211 for five when bad light brought an early end to play. The tourists are still 114 runs behind England’s total of 325 all out.
Kamindu, who had never played in England before, had to miss Sri Lanka’s only warm-up game in Worcester as well, but he has hardly been troubled having posted a hundred and two half-centuries so far.
The 25-year-old missed out on getting his name in the Lord’s Honours Board. He made 74 runs in the second Test and ran out of partners. There has been lot of talk that Kamindu should move up the order, but Sri Lanka have resisted the temptation.
“Everyone is talking about it. We have had a few chats. He has scored all those hundreds at number seven and we know he should come to bat at four. That is a discussion in the process at the moment.”
England had done well to reach 221 for three on day one after being put into bat, but Sri Lanka’s bowlers were on the money on day two to take seven wickets for 104 runs.
“I think after what happened yesterday, we pulled ourselves back into the game. Yesterday wasn’t the best. The bowlers bowled the first session very well. Getting seven wickets for 100 runs was very good. The quicks and Dhananjaya bowled well.”
Sri Lanka 211 for 5 (Dhananjaya 64, Nissanka 64, Kamindu 54) trail England 325 (Pope 154, Duckett 86, Rathnayake 3-56, Dhananjaya 2-18) by 114 runs