Eshaan Govil doesn't like the timing of the declaration: "What!! Surely you give 3 overs for dickwella to go for his 100!"
Roonyh: "Good attacking positive declaration! Really good that Sri Lanka finally have an attacking test captain"
A rough one for the Dickwella fans out there, who were hoping their man gets a ton today. Captain Karunaratne clearly thinks 493 is plenty. I think it's a good declaration, given the overs that were lost to bad weather and rain last night.
Can Sri Lanka's bowlers muzzle Tamim? Do novice Test spinners Praveen Jayawickrama and Ramesh Mendis have what it takes to threaten on this pitch? We'll find out shortly.
159.2
W
Taskin Ahmed to Mendis, OUT, in his haste to get runs, Mendis has perished. Spotted a short ball about belly high from Taskin and lays into a big pull shot, attempting to clear the deep square leg fielder over his head. Doesn't quite get a good enough connection, however, and the fielder there does nicely to keep his eye on the ball, and get his hands behind it. And oh, it's not just the end of Mendis' innings. Sri Lanka have declared!
RTM Mendis c Mushfiqur Rahim b Taskin Ahmed 33 (108m 68b 2x4 0x6) SR: 48.52
159.1
1
Taskin Ahmed to Dickwella, 1 run, this is uhhh, a scoop that is obviously premeditated (DIckwella gets on his knees very early), but Taskin bowls a short of a length ball on about leg stump, which is not the line that Dickwella needs. He goes through with the shot anyway, and edges it to where slip should stand. Gets a single to third man
END OF OVER:159 | 15 Runs | SL: 492/6
- Ramesh Mendis33 (67b)
- Niroshan Dickwella76 (71b)
- Mehidy Hasan Miraz36-7-118-1
- Taskin Ahmed34-7-126-3
158.6
2
Mehidy Hasan Miraz to Mendis, 2 runs, thick outside edge. This is flighted outside off, turning in again, and dipping. Mendis tries to defend with an open-ish face, but it takes the outside half of the bat and goes skimming past slip. There's another two, to end an expensive over.
158.5
2
Mehidy Hasan Miraz to Mendis, 2 runs, floated up, turning from just outside off stump, back at the wickets. Mendis makes room and hits inside out, along the turf, getting it far enough away from the mid off fielder to pick up two into the outfield
158.4
1
Mehidy Hasan Miraz to Dickwella, 1 run, pushed through quicker from Mehidy, on the line of off stump. Dickwella knocks this on the ground towards long on and takes one
158.3
4
Mehidy Hasan Miraz to Dickwella, FOUR, down the track again, and another boundary. Doesn't hit this quite as well, but it's struck wide of long off. Bounces just inside the rope and goes over. Long off was never in the hunt to take that catch or stop the boundary
158.2
6
Mehidy Hasan Miraz to Dickwella, SIX, he's not messing around. Skips down the track to a flatter delivery and launches it hiiigh over wide long on. Goes all the way for six. Clean striking!
158.1
0
Mehidy Hasan Miraz to Dickwella, no run, pitched a little short, but on the line of the stumps. Dickwella goes back and ties to crash it through the offside, but finds cover
