Mendis keeps SL hopes alive
Colombo, July 17: Kusal Mendis scored a fluent half- century to keep Sri Lanka’s hopes of chasing a record 388 alive on day four of the one-off Test against Zimbabwe, on Monday.
The hosts were 170 for three at stumps, with Mendis (60) batting alongside Angelo Mathews (17) at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium.
Sri Lanka’s highestever successful run chase was against South Africa in 2006, when they achieved their 352-run target in Colombo.
Zimbabwe skipper Graeme Cremer dented the hosts with his legspin, claiming the important wickets of Upul Tharanga (27) and his opposite number Dinesh Chandimal (15).
Opener Dimuth Karunaratne was bowled by left-arm orthodox spinner Sean Williams for 49 as the visitors persisted with an all-spin attack in the 48 overs bowled in the innings so far.
Mendis, who fought off hamstring trouble in the final session of play, put together an unbeaten 37-run stand with Mathews to take the delicately poised Test into its final day.
Zimbabwe were earlier bowled out for 377 in the second session, with Sikandar Raza (127) top-scoring for the visitors with his maiden Test century.
Cremer was the last man out for 48 off leftarm spinner Rangana Herath, who returned figures of 6-133 to take his match tally to 11 wickets. — AFP Brief scores: Zimbabwe 356 & 377 (Sikandar Raza 127, M. Waller 68, P. Moor 40, G. Cremer 48, R. Herath 6/133, D. Perera 3/95) vs Sri Lanka 346 & 170/3 (D. Karunaratne 49, K. Mendis 60).