Kamindu Mendis’ success streak has continued even after the debut in Test cricket. The Sri Lankan star got 51 not out on the first day of the second Test against New Zealand at Galle on Thursday and created yet another record. The 25-year-old star is now the very first player in the span of 147 years of Test cricket history, to manage a score of fifty plus in each of his first eight tests from the time he made his debut. Pakistan’s Shaud Shakeel held this record, however, as he too scored fifties in all the first seven tests he played. Earlier, Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar (6) along with 3 others, held the record.
50+ scores in most successive Tests from debut
8 – Kamindu Mendis*
7 – Saud Shakeel
6 – Bert Sutcliffe, Saeed Ahmed, Basil Butcher and Sunil Gavaskar
On the opening day of the second Test against New Zealand, Dinesh Chandimal scored a century in Galle as Sri Lanka ended the first day on 306-3.
Left-handed pitch batted faced 116 runs adorned with 15 boundaries before he was bowled by Glenn Phillips in the last session of play. This was Pohottu’s sixth Test century at this beautiful ground and the 16th overall.
Home side Mathews (78) and Kamindu Mendis (51) will come out for batting on the second day after both scored half centuries successfully.
Paradoxically it was Kamindu’s records of eighth consecutive fifties which are insane, especially since the 25-year-old made his debut against Australia at the same place two years ago.
Sri Lanka’s Mathews also achieved a personal milestone becoming the sixth player ever to pass the 2,000 runs barrier of Test matches played at a particular ground occupied by the likes of Graham Gooch, Joe Root and many others on a guilt edged batting surface in Galle.
Chandimal had almost remarkable ton and was looking for a single off New Zealand left-arm orthodox spinner Mitchell Santner to complete his century.
He was explosive down the ground after the conclusion of his partnership worth 122 runs with Dimuth Karunaratne, who was run out on 46 and returned to the dressing room angrily after an unfortunate mix up between the two.
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