- Commissioner’s statement on Ventura, Marte
- Ronnie O’Sullivan: Masters champion ‘felt so vulnerable’ in final
- Arron Fletcher Wins 2017 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event ($140,224)
- Smith challenges Warner to go big in India
- Moncada No. 1 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Braves land 2 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Kingery makes MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- New Zealand wrap up 2-0 after Bangladesh implosion
- Mathews, Pradeep, Gunathilaka to return to Sri Lanka
- Elliott hopes for rain for Poli
Mendis falls after leading Sri Lanka recovery
- Updated: August 4, 2016
Tea Sri Lanka 216 for 5 (Mathews 49*, de Silva 9*) v AustraliaLive scorecard and ball-by-ball details
For the second time in consecutive innings Kusal Mendis rescued Sri Lanka from a shaky start, but Mitchell Starc ensured his match-winning century from Pallekele would not be replicated in Galle. By tea on the first day Starc had toiled hard for three breakthroughs, including the key wicket of Mendis for 86, but at 216 for 5 Sri Lanka still had the chance to push on to a strong first-innings total.
Arguably, they already had one, for the dry pitch was taking plenty of turn on day one and although Australia’s spinners had bowled without luck, Sri Lanka’s three frontline slow bowlers should provide a serious challenge for Australia’s batsmen. Nathan Lyon and debutant Jon Holland had flighted the ball and drawn a few false shots, but had also leaked runs at more than 4.5 an over.
The key driver of that attack was Sri Lanka’s captain Angelo Mathews, who at the tea break was on 49, alongside Dhananjaya de Silva, who had 9. Mathews had walked to the crease early in the second session when Kusal Perera fell one short of his half-century, and the skipper was immediately on the front foot. His second ball was crashed over long-on for six off Lyon.
A reverse sweep for four followed in Lyon’s next over, and when Holland came back into the attack Mathews was watchful for five balls and then thumped the sixth over long-on for six. Another …
continue reading in source www.espncricinfo.com
