Dinesh Chandimal scored an unbeaten 118 and Kamindu Mendis hit a half-century in his first Test. This helped Sri Lanka sit in the driving seat on the third day of the second Test in Galle against Australia on Sunday 10 July 2022. At the end of the third day’s play, Sri Lanka had scored 431 for 6 in 149 overs in the first innings. Apart from Chandimal, Ramesh Mendis was unbeaten on the score of 7 runs. Sri Lanka has taken a lead of 67 runs. Australia scored 364 for 10 in 110 overs in the first innings.
At the Galle International Stadium, 5 of Sri Lanka’s top 6 batsmen scored more than 50. Dinesh Chandimal added 83 runs with Angelo Mathews (52) and 133 runs with Kamindu (61) to keep Sri Lanka’s hopes of a series-matching victory alive.
Earlier, Prabhat Jayasuriya had played an important role in the first innings of Australia by taking 6 wickets in the debut Test match within 400 runs. Australia won the first Test of the two-match series by 10 wickets.
Chandimal has hit nine fours and one six during his innings so far. Earlier, Nathan Lyon (2/160) took a sharp turn off the pitch. One of his deliveries went a long way from outside the off-stump and Saturday’s unbeaten batsman Kusal Mendis (85) went lbw on Sunday morning.
Kusal Mendis took the DRS, but the umpire’s decision could not be overturned. In his place, Chandimal came to the crease. As soon as he arrived, he took an aggressive stance. He hits Lyon over cover and hits a boundary. After this, the off-spinner hit a six over the head.
After the lunch break, Mitchell Starc (2/47) broke the partnership of Chandimal and Angelo Mathews. Mathews struggled against spin, but was defeated by Speed and was caught at short leg by Marnus Labuschagne. Chandimal got life on his personal score of 30 runs. Kamindu Mendis also escaped stumping on a personal score of 43 runs.
Like Prabhat Jayasuriya, Kamindu Mendis is also among the three debutants who have been included in Sri Lanka’s playing XI after the COVID-19 case in the team. Before the start of the second Test, five players in the Sri Lankan camp got corona. Due to this Prabhat Jayasuriya, Mahesh Thekshana and Kamindu Mendis got a chance to make their Test debuts.