Mendis frustrates Tigers

Sri Lanka batsman Kusal Mendis slammed an unbeaten 166 on the first day of the Galle Test on Tuesday as the hosts look comfortable against visiting Bangladesh.

The Lions closed the day on 321 for 4, thanks to Mendis' heroics and a fine knock from Asela Gunaratne.

Mendis was a tad lucky, as he was caught behind on his very first ball, only to survive because paceman Subashis Roy over-stepped.

In the previous delivery, the bowler had bowled opener Upul Tharanga (4) to give the Tigers an early breakthrough following the hosts' decision to bat first.

Opener Dimuth Karunaratne (30) and Mendis then added 45 before Mehedi Hasan Miraz bowled the former while Mustafizur Rahman soon made Dinesh Chandimal give a catch to Miraz to leave the hosts on 92 for 3.

It was all Mendis and Asela Gunaratne afterwards as the duo made 196 to put the hosts in control.

Gunaratne's 85-run innings, studded with seven fours, was brought to an end by Taskin Ahmed.

Mendis was not to be tamed though, adding 33 more runs with Niroshan Dickwella in the day's remaining overs.

The one-down batsman hit 18 fours and two sixes in his unbeaten knock, his second Test century. Dickwella was not out on 14 when the umpires called it stumps.

Bangladesh will be desperate to remove Mendis when the game resume on the match's second day, while the batsman will certainly be looking forward to a double century.

Mendis frustrates Tigers
Sri Lanka batsman Kusal Mendis slammed an unbeaten 166 on the first day of the Galle Test on Tuesday as the hosts look comfortable against visiting Bangladesh.

The Lions closed the day on 321 for 4, thanks to Mendis' heroics and a fine knock from Asela Gunaratne.

Mendis was a tad lucky, as he was caught behind on his very first ball, only to survive because paceman Subashis Roy over-stepped.

In the previous delivery, the bowler had bowled opener Upul Tharanga (4) to give the Tigers an early breakthrough following the hosts' decision to bat first.

Opener Dimuth Karunaratne (30) and Mendis then added 45 before Mehedi Hasan Miraz bowled the former while Mustafizur Rahman soon made Dinesh Chandimal give a catch to Miraz to leave the hosts on 92 for 3.

It was all Mendis and Asela Gunaratne afterwards as the duo made 196 to put the hosts in control.

Gunaratne's 85-run innings, studded with seven fours, was brought to an end by Taskin Ahmed.

Mendis was not to be tamed though, adding 33 more runs with Niroshan Dickwella in the day's remaining overs.

The one-down batsman hit 18 fours and two sixes in his unbeaten knock, his second Test century. Dickwella was not out on 14 when the umpires called it stumps.

Bangladesh will be desperate to remove Mendis when the game resume on the match's second day, while the batsman will certainly be looking forward to a double century.

Source: Prothom Alo