WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Kusal Mendis completed his eighth half century in tests in an unbroken 102-run fourth-wicket partnership with Angelo Mathews which stiffened Sri Lanka's resistance on the fourth day of the first cricket test against New Zealand.
Sri Lanka resumed at 20-3 Tuesday after trailing New Zealand by 296 runs on the first innings. At lunch it was 122-3, having batted through the first session without loss, with Mendis 65 not out and Mathews 35, the deficit trimmed to 174.
New Zealand built its lead around Tom Latham's world record innings of 264 not out which guided it to 578 in its first innings in reply to Sri Lanka's 282. Latham's score was the highest by a player carrying his bat in test history and the highest by any batsman in tests in 2018.
Already on the back foot as it started its second innings, Sri Lanka found itself facing greater peril when it lost both openers and its nightwatchman in 12 overs before stumps Monday.
New Zealand hoped to quickly capitalize on its strong position at the start of the fourth day. But Mendis and Mathews provided stout resistance and in reaching lunch without loss, lifted Sri Lanka's hopes of survival with five sessions remaining in the match.
Batting was never easy but nor was bowling profitable on a drying pitch which provided fading bounce.
Though the ball was still relatively new at the start of play, New Zealand resorted earlier than expected to a short-pitched bowling strategy which proved largely ineffective.
Mendis has been touted as a rising star of Sri Lanka cricket, already with five centuries and eight half centuries in 33 tests. He is a naturally aggressive player but largely curbed that instinct on Tuesday to preserve his wicket and strengthen Sri Lanka's battle for survival.
His half century came from 89 balls and contained five fours.
The current state of the match gives Mendis a chance to make a statement of his ability on the test stage. Latham showed clearly, in his innings of 11-1/2 hours, that lengthy innings are possible by any player willing to apply themselves on the relatively benign Basin Reserve pitch.
Mendis now has that chance, with support from the vastly experienced Mathews. The 31-year-old Mathews took a painful blow on the hand close to stumps Monday but seemed unaffected in his more than two hours at the crease before lunch.
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