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Mendis, Shanaka provide SL substance
- Updated: May 13, 2016
Sri Lankans 318 for 8 (Shanaka 91*, Mendis 65) v LeicestershireScorecard
If tour games are all about acclimatisation, then Leicester did its best to prepare Sri Lanka for Leeds next week. A blanket of cloud, a chill in the air and early pace in the pitch offered a taster menu for Headingley. Although it is safe to say the huddle of autograph hunters that greeted their every appearance at the pavilion steps were a touch more welcoming than a well-oiled Western Terrace.
The final day of their previous tour match against Essex was washed out by rain, so there was an onus to get as much as they could from this three-day outing at Grace Road. With that in mind, Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford and his squad have come into this match “not trying to figure things out” but simply to get players to adapt and get into form.
An extra spot was found with Angelo Mathews dropping out of the XI. He spent the morning bowling on a practice pitch before disappearing for a handful of nets throughout the day. Dimuth Karunaratne’s stay was short, bowled comprehensively for a duck by left-armer Atif Sheikh with the fourth ball of the day. Of the top order, his place is probably the most assured for the first Test, with two hundreds among 769 runs in 2015 and having shown aptitude in English conditions on the previous tour.
His early dismissal provided another opportunity for 21-year-old Kusal Mendis to etch his name into the No. 3 spot.
Mendis is the young contender. The one whose path to the top is set out by those around him. Schoolboy cricketer of the year, Sri Lanka Under-19 captain – …
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