Sri Lanka in control after Chandimal hundred
Rex Clementine in Galle
Cricket teaches us good lessons. Yesterday it was about how you don’t have to sweep all the time to score your runs and if you play to your strengths, you can succeed. Sri Lanka had committed hara-kiri in the first Test against Australia sweeping their way to submission to lose the game by ten wickets. But in the second Test, the batsmen trusted ways and means that had brought them success all these years. It worked.Dinesh Chandimal completed his 13th Test hundred and was still there unbeaten on 118 as Sri Lanka reached 431 for six at stumps on day three at Galle yesterday. With a lead of 67 runs and four wickets in hand, if they are able to get a lead of over 100 they could be on their way to square the two match series.
In the third over the morning, when Kusal Mendis departed with the total on 186 and still 178 runs behind, Sri Lanka had a tall order. Angelo Mathews and Chandimal added 83 runs for the fourth wicket to steady the innings but Mathews was dismissed soon after scoring his half-century. Sri Lanka were still not out of the woods and they had some luck going their way.
Dinesh Chandimal was caught behind off Mitchell Starc when he was on 30 but umpire Kumar Dharmasena turned down the appeal much to the bemusement of the Aussies. Partly they were to be blamed as they had burned all their reviews.
There was no stopping Chandimal from thereon. He was involved in a 133 run stand for the fifth wicket with Kamindu Mendis, who scored a half-century on debut.The big occasion didn’t take to Kamindu as his first scoring shot was a boundary. He had played lot of cricket at this ground. He was 14-years-old and the youngest in the team when Richmond College ended a 44 year drought to beat Mahinda in the Big Match in 2014. He was an integral part of the Lovers’ Quarrel having played five Big Matches winning two and captaining one.
The partnership between Chandimal and Kamindu was broken when the latter attempted a slog off Mitchell Swepson and was bowled. He made 61.
Chandimal completed his 13th Test hundred with a sharp single to covers. It was his second against Australia and fourth in Galle.Sri Lanka could have taken the game away from Australia with another big partnership but Dickwella gave it away with a rash shot. It’s been evident that the time is up for him as there have been too many casual dismissals in recent times and his keeping is not what it used to be.Ramesh Mendis hanged in there with Chandimal adding 22 runs for the seventh wicket. Chandimal was unbeaten on 118 having batted for over six hours and faced 232 deliveries. He hit nine fours and a six.
