Mendis falls after valiant 110 in 191-run face saving
Sri Lanka’s first innings thrust to match India’s massive 622 fell on the wayside with the home teal bowled out for 183 just before lunch, and everything looked lost with the further precipitation of losing the so experienced Upul Tharanga for a duck in the last ball of the second over with the total on zero following on. Indeed, a gloomy picture it was for Sri Lankans just after the lunch break on third day’s play at the SSC. But the rays of hope did come for the home team by a fighting 191-run partnership for the second wicket between Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis as the 22-year old little star batsman from Moratuwa carved a century off the Indian bowling attack.
That the magical mark and his third Test ton came at a point when India’s pace-spin attack had taken a stranglehold in the match did set the feat apart. But all the sweat and grind put it in to the rescue act as Sri Lanka trailed India by a further 439 came to naught when Mendis perished with the close of play in sight. He fended at a flying delivery hurled by Pandya, but the stroke mistimed as the deflection got skewed up with the ball hitting the right padand sailing to the wicket-keeper. Mendis’ 110 off 135 balls and consuming 252 minutes inclusive of 17 boundaries came to an end just when Sri Lanka had sniffed a way out of stretching India. It only put the side back on square one as it was left to Karunaratne, who was on 74 at the time, to carry the back to the wall fight joined by night watchman Malinda Pushpakumara.
The pair negotiated 5.1 overs safely when Sri Lanka would brace itself for a fourth day onslaught by the high riding Indians. Karunaratne’s unbeaten on 92 in 238 minutes and off 200 balls was laboriously value input in an unfinished salvage operation that would require a totat commitment by the rest when Sri Lanka resumes what would be a herculean task.
The Sri Lankan first innings fell apart with overnight batsman Skipper Dinesh Chandimal unable to commit himself to the job of leading from the front. He added just two runs to his overnight. Only a fifth wicket alliance of 53 off 44 balls between Niroshan Dickwella who made 48-ball 51 7×4, 2×6, and Angelo Mathews 26 off 33 balls 2×4, 2×6, saw Sri Lanka carry the attack to the Indian bowlers. But after Mathews extinguished Mistiming and edging Ashwin to Pujara, hope ended. Dickwella went on to complete a fine half century, but played a false shot in the bad situation as he moved away to leg to a Mohammed Shami delivery playing an innovative stroke to find his stump dislodged. R.A. Ashwin was Sri Lanka’s scourge claiming 5 for 69 with Shami and Jadeja 2 each.
-By Srian Obeyesekere-
-The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Sri Lanka Cricket-
