Sri Lankan star Kamindu Mendis has made a dream debut in Tests. Since his first Test in July 2022, Mendis has scored at least one fifty in each of his first six Tests. Now, on Wednesday, in a Test match against New Zealand in Galle, Mendis has scored galore, taking his score to fifty in each of his first seven Tests. This feat has been achieved only once before in the 147-year history of Test cricket. Last year, Pakistan’s Saud Shakeel became the first Test player to score fifty in each of his first seven Tests.

Before that, Sunil Gavaskar of India, Saeed Ahmed of Pakistan, Basil Butcher of the West Indies and Bert Sutcliffe of New Zealand scored a half-century in each of their first six Tests.

Mendis scored a brave century against New Zealand on Wednesday as the hosts regained the initiative on the opening day of the first Test, reaching 302 for seven stumps.

Shortly after lunch, Sri Lanka’s score had slipped to 106 for 4, but Kamindu – Player of the Series for Sri Lanka during the recent tour of England – delivered a confident and calm performance that gave the team stability.

Kamindu said the Sri Lankans’ aim was to “get close to the 350 mark” on Thursday in order to “keep the upper hand”.

The all-rounder’s innings ended at 114 in the penultimate over of the day when Ajaz Patel spun the ball sharply and it bounced off the glove and was easily caught at first slip.

“This is a special hundred dollar bill because it came from my hometown,” Kamindu said.

“I should have gone ahead and got a big ball, but I couldn’t do much against the ball.”

Kamindu, known for his ability to bat and bowl with both hands, is playing his seventh Test match. He has already scored four centuries and four half-centuries and has scored more than 800 runs.

Sri Lanka had some problems at 178 for 5 at the start of tea, but a 103-run stand between Kusal Mendis and Kamindu rescued them and made for an acceptable first innings total.

Kusal scored a half-century but was taken out of play in an unusual manner shortly afterwards when the ball hit Tom Latham at short leg and was caught by captain Tim Southee.

– ‘Knock them down’ –
New Zealand rookie fast bowler William O’Rourke had earlier disrupted Sri Lanka’s top order by taking two wickets as the hosts reached a score of 88 at lunchtime.

The Kiwis took a risk by not playing experienced pace bowler Matt Henry, but 23-year-old O’Rourke soon justified his inclusion.

He surprised Dimuth Karunaratne with an extra bounce in the fourth over and the left-hander threw the ball to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell, who scored two runs.

Co-opener Pathum Nissanka, fresh from a match-winning performance against England last week, was dismissed by a late yorker that swung home after hitting from 27 metres.

Dinesh Chandimal hit Southee’s fourth ball after lunch to mid-wicket, where Michael Bracewell caught it diving.

Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva was then bowled through the wicket to give part-time spin bowler Glenn Phillips a success in his first over.

Angelo Mathews, forced off by a blow to the thumb, returned to bat before being dismissed at 36 in the last over before tea, with O’Rourke being bowled to the wicket-keeper.

O’Rourke said that at the end of the first day “the odds were pretty even” and praised the “Sri Lankan batsmen for getting back into the game”.

However, he said New Zealand were keen to start their innings earlier on Thursday.

“We look forward to knocking them out soon,” he said.

With AFP inputs