Mendis 150 puts Sri Lanka on top

Tea Sri Lanka 117 and 253 for 5 (Mendis 157*, de Silva 24*) lead Australia 203 by 167 runsLive scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Kusal Mendis had one first-class century before Thursday, the third day of Sri Lanka’s first Test against Australia. He walked to the crease at 6 for 2, after a wicket had fallen from the third ball of the morning. Sri Lanka were 80 short of making Australia bat again. Mendis had survived only seven deliveries in the first innings. The ingredients were all wrong, but like the world’s greatest chef, he somehow fashioned them into a masterpiece. Australia could only watch on as Sri Lanka’s fans were served up a rare treat.

The most remarkable thing was that by tea, Sri Lanka were on top in the match. Their first-innings debacle of 117 had made their job difficult, but Australia’s task in the fourth innings would be no easier. Mendis, with help from Dinesh Chandimal, had given Sri Lanka’s bowlers something to defend. At the break. they were 167 runs in front. Five wickets were still in hand, and things were getting out of hand for Australia.

Mendis was on 157, alongside Dhananjaya de Silva, who had reached 24, and the Sri Lanka total was 253 for 5. During the first session, they lost three wickets for 110 runs, but in the second session, Australia’s efforts bore just a single piece of fruit – the dismissal of Chandimal for 42. But Mendis was very much the key wicket required by Australia in a Test in …

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