Kusal Mendis rides his luck as Sri Lanka cruise to 90/1 in 2nd ODI against England
Kusal Mendis rides his luck as Sri Lanka cruise to 90/1 in 2nd ODI against England
Sri Lanka reached 90/1 in 17.3 overs against England in the second One Day International at Headingley, Leeds, in a passage of play that was, as the commentary put it, “pretty even-stevens in the first 17 overs.” Opening batter Kusal Mendis was the chief aggressor, but he was also the chief survivor, riding his luck against an England attack that spurned a straightforward chance.
Mendis survives as Atkinson spills a sitter
The defining moment of the spell came when Jamie Overton returned to the attack with a short ball outside off. “Kusal Mendis goes for the pull but gets more of a top edge that skies down to deep backward square leg,” the commentary recorded. What should have been a routine dismissal instead went begging: “DROPPED! Gus Atkinson has spilled a straightforward chance” at deep backward square leg, the fielder losing the swirling chance in the breeze. A single was taken.
It was far from the only let-off. Earlier, against Josh Tongue, Mendis “goes for the uppercut but is beaten by the extra bounce,” and against Will Jacks he “leans on to smother it to the leg side but gets a leading edge. The ball falls just short of Joe Root at short extra cover.” England, the report noted, “should have had another wicket, but Kusal Mendis is riding his luck and scoring at a brisk pace.”
Boundaries and a big six
Mendis found the fence repeatedly. He picked up a boundary off Will Jacks — “Flatter and pushed just down the leg side. Kusal Mendis gets down on one knee and shovels it fine, just past the keeper and into the fine leg fence” — and later “rocks back and pulls it into the fence just behind square leg for a boundary.”
The standout blow was a six off Josh Tongue: “SIX! The Lankan skipper is switching gears now” after being “banged in a bit short, sliding into the hips. Kusal picks it early and smokes it up and over deep backward square leg for a biggie.” Sri Lanka brought up their half-century soon after, the commentary noting “50 up for Sri Lanka now.”
Kamindu plays second fiddle
At the other end, Kamindu Mendis played the supporting role, “playing second fiddle now after that initial burst.” He nudged and steered his way to runs without taking risks, including a couple of handy twos off Will Jacks — “Kamindu Mendis drives it away to deep extra cover and picks up two handy runs.” Sri Lanka will hope the pair “manage to turn this into a big partnership.”
England's bowling shuffle
England rotated their seamers and spinners to try to break the stand. Rehan Ahmed came on with his leg-spin — “here's Rehan Ahmed now, to bowl his leg-spin” — beginning with a loosener that Kamindu Mendis promptly dispatched: “SIX! A loosener to begin with from Ahmed.” Jamie Overton, Will Jacks and Josh Tongue all sent down lively spells, Tongue extracting extra bounce that beat the bat on several occasions.
The phase ahead
As the players broke for drinks, the match hung in the balance. “England, on the other hand, will be hoping that they can put the squeeze on in this middle phase and pick up a few wickets as well,” the report concluded, setting up a crucial middle-overs contest between Sri Lanka's settled openers and an England attack eager for redemption.