5 hours Ago By Thilina Walpola
Kamindu Mendis etched his name into the annals of cricket history on Friday, matching the legendary Sir Don Bradman as the joint third-fastest to 1000 Test runs, as Sri Lanka tightened their grip on the second Test against New Zealand in Galle. The Sri Lankan juggernaut declared at a formidable 602 for five, leaving New Zealand reeling at 22 for two by stumps. With a daunting deficit of 580 runs and three full days to play, the Kiwis face a mountainous challenge to avoid defeat.
Kamindu reached the 1000-run milestone in just his 13th Test innings, sharing the honor with Bradman, who achieved the feat in 1930 against England at Headingley. Only England’s Herbert Sutcliffe and West Indian great Sir Everton Weekes reached the landmark in fewer innings, doing so in just 12 knocks. In a career that has blossomed rapidly, Kamindu continued his rich vein of form, notching his fifth century before lunch, and then later, with audacious flair, brought up his 1000th run by stepping down the track to Rachin Ravindra and smashing a towering six straight back over the bowler’s head.
This remarkable achievement made him not only the fastest Sri Lankan but also the quickest Asian to reach the milestone, surpassing the likes of Sri Lankan legend Roy Dias (23 innings) and India’s Vinod Kambli (14 innings). The crowd’s celebrations were bittersweet, however, as Sri Lanka declared before Kamindu could reach his maiden double-century, finishing unbeaten on 182 off 250 balls, an innings laced with 16 boundaries and four massive sixes. Kamindu found strong support from Kusal Mendis, who shrugged off recent struggles to post an undefeated 106, his tenth Test century.
Demoted to number seven after a series of disappointing performances, Kusal responded with a measured innings, combining with Kamindu for an unbroken 200-run partnership — the highest sixth-wicket stand for Sri Lanka against New Zealand on home soil. This partnership also set a record as the highest sixth-wicket stand in Galle, by any team, further cementing Sri Lanka’s dominance. Earlier in the day, the hosts lost Angelo Mathews (88) and skipper Dhananjaya de Silva (44) in the morning session, but Kamindu’s relentless march, paired with Kusal’s defiance, ensured Sri Lanka remained firmly in the driver’s seat, with thoughts of a 2-0 series sweep now looming large.
New Zealand, meanwhile, missed crucial chances to rein in the Sri Lankan juggernaut, with Daryl Mitchell dropping Kamindu on 26 and Tom Blundell fluffing a straightforward stumping when he was on 113. Those errors proved costly as Kamindu made them pay dearly. The misery continued for the Kiwis as Sri Lanka struck early in their innings.
Asitha Fernando set the tone, dismissing Tom Latham in the very first over with a sharp catch at gully. Prabath Jayasuriya then added to New Zealand’s woes by removing Devon Conway, snapped up at slip by Dhananjaya de Silva. With Sri Lanka pressing their advantage and New Zealand’s top order crumbling, the stage is set for another commanding performance from the hosts as they close in on a series sweep.
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