Sri Lanka on Monday scripted history during the ongoing 2nd Test against Australia at Galle. Riding on Dinesh Chandimal’s double hundred and notable contributions from captain Dimuth Karunaratne (86), Kusal Mendis (85), Angelo Mathews (52) and Kamindu Mendis (61), the hosts posted a mammoth total of 554 runs in response to Australia’s 364.
For the first time since 1992, Sri Lanka posted more than 500 runs against Australia in Test cricket. They reached this feat on the fourth day of the ongoing Test after Chandimal played an impressive knock to remain unbeaten on 206 as Sri Lanka folded for 554 runs.
Back in 1992 when Australia toured Sri Lanka for a 3-match Test series, the hosts declared their first innings at 547/8 after bundling out Australia for 256. Then captain Arjuna Ranatunga scores 127 while Asanka Gurusinha and Romesh Kaluwitharana contributed with 127 and 132 not-out respectively. However, the team still lost the match to Allan Border’s Australia by 16 runs.
The Sri Lankans are bidding to level the two-match series in Galle and had 190-run first-innings lead with more than three sessions remaining in the series.
The second session on the fourth day belonged to Chandimal, who launched an assault on the opposition bowlers as he began to run out of partners with his final 47 runs coming from just 28 balls. He smashed left-arm quick Mitchell Starc for a four and two sixes on consecutive balls to go past 200 as he leapt in joy amid raucous applause from the crowd.
The hosts began the day on 431-6 in response to Australia’s first innings 364. Starc took four wickets while leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson took three to polish off the tail.
Opening batsman Pathum Nissanka was ruled out before play started Monday with Covid-19, becoming the sixth Sri Lanka player to contract the virus during the past two weeks. The overnight pair of Chandimal and Ramesh Mendis added 68 before Starc broke through.
Starc trapped Ramesh lbw for 29 in another inspired spell of bowling and nearly got debutant Maheesh Theekshana caught behind when the umpire gave it out but the batsman successfully reviewed.
Chandimal, who recorded his 13th Test hundred on Sunday, took on the opposition bowlers after losing Prabath Jayasuriya for nought as he went past his previous best of 164.
Starc rattled the stumps of Jayasuriya for a nought, before Swepson got the final wicket. Australia lead the two-match series 1-0 after a crushing opening win inside three days at the same venue.
(With Agency Inputs)
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