Thanks largely to Mendis’ monumental innings supported by half-centuries from Niroshan Dickwella and Dilruwan Perera, Sri Lanka reached a total of 494, although they would have been far happier if they had crossed the 500-run mark.

Niroshan Dickwella pulls a delivery to the leg boundary during his innings of 75.

Ironically it was the two half-centurions who were responsible for giving the Bangladesh openers early lives that enabled them to finish the day at 133 for two wickets – still 361 runs behind.

Perera put down a simple catch at gully offered by Soumya Sarkar at four and Dickwella missed Tamim Iqbal behind the wicket at 28. Those two lapses enabled the openers to put up a century partnership before Tamim threw away his wicket attempting an impossible single and getting run out for 57.

Sri Lanka soon followed with the wicket of Mominul Haque for seven when Perera compensated for his early lapse with a wicket by trapping him plumb in front.

Sarkar however lived to fight another day finishing on 66 not out with his skipper Mushfiqur Rahim on one.

The pitch had slowed down from what it was on the first day and the key to today will be the left-arm chinaman deliveries of Lakshan Sandakan who really made the Bangladesh batsmen jump around in the final session’s play.

Mendis’s extravagance cost him a maiden Test double century when he attempted to reach it with a six and eventually holed out to long-on. The catch was held on the boundary line by Tamim Iqbal giving Mehedi Hasan his second wicket of the innings.

The 19-year-old off-spinning sensation who bowled Bangladesh to their maiden Test win over England at Dhaka last October finished as the best Bangladesh bowler with four wickets for 113.

Dickwella batted aggressively for his second Test fifty scoring 75 off 76 balls with six fours and a six and Perera followed with his third Test half century (51) off 77 balls with seven fours and a six.

Dickwella helped Mendis add 110 for the fifth wicket before the latter’s dismissal for 194 scored off 225 balls with 19 fours and four sixes.

Mendis is the sixth Sri Lankan batsman to be dismissed in the 190s after Sidath Wettimuny, Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Amongst the Sri Lankans who have achieved that feat are Sidath Wettimuny, Duleep Mendis, Amal Silva, Mahela Jayawardene (twice), Marvan Atapattu, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara.

Diminutive right-handed opening bat Kaushal Silva is no exception. He has his sights firmly set on scoring a hundred at cricket’s most hallowed grounds when Sri Lanka take on England in the third and final Test beginning on June 9.

“I’ve played four Tests in England now, scored three fifties but no hundred yet. I’m hoping to get set and go for the big one – to a hundred in the next,” said Silva who gained a lot of confidence from his knock of 60 in the second innings of the second Test at Durham.

“As a team we’ve finished this match off on a good note. Taking that mindset into the next game is important. Also, personally, I’m disappointed about the way I got out.”

The last occasion Silva played at Lord’s in 2014 he scored twin fifties (63 and 57) but he hopes to make it into three figures this time around.

It was Silva who set the tone for the Lankan batting revival at Durham with his patient knock that occupied 145 balls. Both he and his opening partner Dimuth Karunaratne were able to dent the England new ball bowlers Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad so that they were did not pose the same to the batsmen who followed.

“An opener’s role is especially important here, because our success has knock-on effects for the team,” said Silva.

“If Dimuth and I bat a good number of overs, the ball gets old and the others find it easier. Its England’s opening bowlers who are the real wicket-taking threats, and the pressure they apply is immense,” he said.

“In the last innings Dimuth and I batted 17 overs, and that made it easier for the rest of the team. If we can play like that, with positive intent, I think we can be successful.”

Following Silva’s half-century skipper Angelo Mathews scored an attractive 80, Dinesh Chandimal a magnificent 126 and Rangana Herath a plucky half-century that enabled Sri Lanka to total 475 and avoid the ignominy of successive innings defeats.

“We all knew we had it in us to bat like that – it’s just that we weren’t able to in the first three innings,” said Silva. “Now a few individuals have scored runs. They’ve got confidence. It’s only after you’ve done it a few times that it becomes easier for you. But we need to replicate that by training with that intensity, then taking it into the next match. The first innings of the next Test is hugely important, because that will set the tone for us.”

Explaining the effects it has on a bowler when you showing positive intent, Silva said, “If you attack any bowler, they will be put on the back foot by that. If you keep leaving the ball, these bowlers are so skillful that there is still a chance of getting out.

“Rotating the strike is crucial. When we score runs there is a little pressure on them as well. Here, the difference is that the good ball is what you should expect – that is what is normal. The skills of their bowlers are great. So to counter that, we have to try and bat positively.

“The other thing is to get them to bowl three or four over spells. With any fast bowler, if you have them bowling 15-20 overs, anyone will tire and drop their performances a bit. Among the seven batsmen we have we should be able to do that. Whoever is batting well that day should be able to bat through and ensure that happens.”

It was not so long ago that Silva who began his Test career promisingly with two centuries and eight half-centuries in his first 19 Tests lost his place following a poor run of scores against India and West Indies where he managed one fifty in nine innings. He was left out of the tour to New Zealand, but fought his way back into the team for the England tour with some heavy scoring in the domestic Premier league tournament.

“I knew that though I was dropped, I could find a way back into the team by scoring runs. I had only done poorly for one series. I believed that I could get back,” said Silva. “In the domestic tournament, I scored about 600 runs in four games – including two double centuries. If you score runs, you can have a place in the team.”

Silva said he did not do anything big to his batting to earn a recall but it was all to do with the mental aspect.

“When you look at first-class cricket and domestic cricket there’s a huge difference. The main reason is that bowlers at this level deliver a lot of very good balls. There are fewer loose balls and the bowlers are all good,” said Silva.

“As a batsman what you should try is to score runs off every scoring opportunity. There’s also a skill in identifying who is not bowling as well that day and scoring off him. The biggest adjustment is mental. It’s about being patient and waiting for the bad ball, and learning to see through tough periods.”

Silva was of the opinion that it was not the bowlers who were at fault but the batsmen for Sri Lanka being 0-2 down in the three-match series.

“Our bowlers have actually done well in the last two games. There were a few mistakes, but on the whole, they’ve been very good.”

“They didn’t get support from the batsmen,” said Silva. “We can’t aim too high, but if we can get to 300 or 250 at least, we can put some pressure on them, because our bowlers are doing well.”

He compared his team’s fielding to the batting and said, “I don’t think we are a terrible fielding side. Some days we field well and others we don’t. That happens with the batting as well. Consistency is what is missing.

“Maybe lack of anticipation is an issue. But we can’t have those excuses. If a bowler is doing well on a flat wicket and a catch gets dropped, that’s really tough on them. As a policy we don’t blame cricketers for dropping catches, because we all train hard. Anyone can miss a catch.”

“I am totally disappointed that such a project has been stopped. These are projects which the cricket committee where Mahela Jayawardene, Michael Tissera, Kapila Wijegunawardene and me, we all came up with it because we felt it was vital for the overall plan in developing our cricket to bring in the youth to train and develop in these areas. It is a huge blow for cricket,” said Wettimuny.

SLC on Wednesday said in a media release that it had decided to temporarily suspend construction of the indoor nets projects at the R Premadasa Stadium (Khettarama), Pallekele and Dambulla due to SLC not obtaining approvals from the relevant authorities.

The release further stated that SLC would re-assess the high costs involved in construction (Rs. 248 million) and the space allocation at the respective venues.

Reacting to the allegations that the interim committee had not obtained approvals from the relevant authorities Wettimuny stated, “For the project the provision of Rs 248 million is already in the budget. In 2006 and in 2010 when they built the Khettarama Stadium they applied to the Colombo Municipal Council to get an assessment number and they never got it. We also applied and it never came. But we are under the Sugathadasa Stadium Committee who owns the property which has been leased to SLC. We got written approval to go ahead with the construction. When we brought the trees down we got the approval from the Pradeshiya Sabha.

“Pallekele belongs to the BOI (Board of Investment) and we have got BOI approval. It was on a BOI project that the stadium was built, even the BOI board guys came to our opening ceremony. According to my chief engineer there was no need to get anybody’s approval because it is developed by the board.

“Dambulla we had to get permission from the chief monk who owns the land. We obtained permission from him and he was even invited for the opening ceremony. He gave a speech saying that after so many years some good has been done for this area where thousands of children will benefit because they don’t have any place to go and hire and practice.

“The Sports Minister himself came for both opening ceremonies at Pallekele and Dambulla and said virtually the same thing.”

Explaining further Wettimuny said, “First they said there were no cash, then no parking space. For five days of international cricket they are depriving 360 days of fantastic training opportunities for cricketers. There is no logic it is basically to hit at the interim committee. Ultimately it is the cricketers who suffer from such petty mindedness.”

“Imagine the number of cricketers who will be deprived of the facilities in Kandy and Dambulla. I am baffled as to why such a decision has been taken because the end result must be that cricket should benefit and nothing else,” said Wettimuny.

“It’s a crying shame that such things can be done for petty reasons. Nobody has asked anyone to stop the work. They are finding petty excuses to stop a project started by the interim committee. It’s an absolute crime and a national shame to do a thing like this.”

Unlike some similar committees of the past Wettimuny and Co can leave with their heads held high.When the interim committee took over on April 1, they started with a Rs. 207 million overdraft and owed US$ 7.8 million to the ICC and the Bank of Ceylon.

“I can proudly say that today we have over Rs. 200 million in the bank plus another US$ 4.6 million in reserve with the ICC to come. It’s a very healthy financial situation,” said Wettimuny.

He also revealed that the amount they owed Bank of Ceylon has been brought down to US$ 370,000 which they plan to pay shortly.

Making some startling revelations Wettimuny stated, ” In the first five months of our operation from an expenditure budget of over Rs. 1.4 billion approximately we saved Rs. 438.7 million, nearly 30 percent by being cautious and going slow because the next year is not going to be a good one.

“We have cut at every turn and stopped unnecessary expenditure. We want to make sure that when we go we leave a healthy balance sheet.”

On the cricket side Wettimuny said that the national cricket team was “well under control” and that the players were happy with Jerome Jayaratne as the head coach.

“We have a superb trainer and you’ll see the fielding standards have gone up and we have a happy dressing room because we have a very good team now,” said Wettimuny. “The selectors are doing a great job and cricket is going in the right direction.”

Wettimuny expressed confidence the way the Sri Lanka under 19 cricketers were shaping up for the upcoming under 19 World Cup in Bangladesh.

“We have a very good crop of players this time and we should do well in the under 19 World Cup,” said Wettimuny.

“Roger (Wijesuriya) and Avishka (Gunawardene) are working really hard. I am sure we will do much better than in the recent past. The key there is not to peak too early.”

Wettimuny said that they were very mindful not to pick bowlers with suspect actions for the world event. “We are very much in focus and have sent a few of them to Chennai for testing.”

On the infrastructure part Wettimuny said, “Whatever we wanted to do I have done. We have started indoor facilities at Khettarama, Dambulla and Pallekele. We have also ordered indoor facilities for all the international stadiums – Hambantota, Khettarama, Dambulla, Pallekele and Galle.

Trainer Michael Main is co-ordinating it and we will have qualified trainers, physios, managers, coaches etc at every centre.”

Wettimuny also stated that payments for players had been increased hugely and added, “We put the payments into a different level where if you play you earn. There is a new payment structure in place and there is an ongoing soft skills program going on in 11 different areas where players are being educate from under 19 to national level. It’s a vital thing to educate our players so that they become confident men”.

A psychologist from Australia has been working for the past three months on SLC employees, men’s and women’s teams, under 19 team and the coaches making it a very happy environment for cricket.

The Sri Lanka versus Pakistan second cricket Test which starts at P. Saravanamuttu Stadium today will be the 50th Test between the two countries. Of the 49 Tests played so far, Pakistan takes the lead with 18 wins to Sri Lanka’s 13 with the balance 18 drawn.

The history of Pakistan-Sri Lanka Tests goes back to 1982, the year in which Sri Lanka played its inaugural Test against England at Saravanamuttu Stadium. The first team to offer Sri Lanka a meeting in Tests after playing the customary inaugural Test against England was Pakistan.

Sri Lanka gained the full membership of the ICC way back in 1981, thanks to the untiring efforts of the then Sri Lanka cricket chief the late Minister Gamini Dissanayake and the father of the present Sports Minister Navin Dissanayake. On the very next year, Sri Lanka got the opportunity of playing their first ever Test against England.

Incidentally, it was the very same venue which hosts the second Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan that hosted the country’s inaugural Test in February 1982 when Keith Fletcher’s England team toured here. The Lankan team, led by Bandula Warnapura lost to England by seven wickets, despite fluent half centuries on debut by Ranjan Madugalle (65) and Arjuna Ranatunga (54). Roy Dias, who was out for a “duck” in the first innings, made a fighting 77 off – 128 balls when Sri Lanka team was shot out for 175 in the second innings.

Three Sri Lankan batsmen have scored half centuries in their country’s inaugural Test against Pakistan played in Karachi, Sidath Wettimuny (71), Roy Dias (53) and Duleep Mendis (54). Sri Lanka were shot out for 149 runs in the second innings, giving Pakistan an easy 204-run victory in the first ever Test between the two teams played in March, 1982. Pakistan’s Haroon Rashid had the honour of becoming the first centurion in the Paskistan-Sri Lanka Test history, scoring a majestic 153 in 323 minutes.

Sri Lanka’s incumbent SLC Interim Committee chief Sidath Wettimuy became the first Lankan to score a Test century against Pakistan in the drawn second Test of that three-match series played in Faisalabad. After making a top score of 71 for his country in the first Test in Karachi, the stylish opener made a marathon knock of 157 off 330 balls with21 fours in 372 minutes.

Thanks to Sidath’s brilliant knock, Sri Lanka to make a commanding 454 all out, only in its third match in Test history. Roy Dias (98) and Ranjan Madugalle (91 n.o) too narrowly missed their centuries in the same Test.

Although Pakistan won the first Test series against Sri Lanka in 1982 two-nil (one drawn), it took 13 years for Sri Lanka to register a Test series win over Pakistan. They achieved this feat when Sri Lanka, under Arjuna Ranatunga, toured Pakistan in September 1995.

Ranatunga’s brigade not only won the Test series but achieved that feat with a magnificent fight back after making a shock start in the three-Test series. Sri Lanka lost the first Test against Pakistan by an innings and 40 runs in Peshawar but came back strongly to win the second Test in Faisalabad by 42 runs and the third Test in Sialkot by 144 runs. This remains Sri Lanka’s greatest fight back ever in a Test series on foreign soil. Sri Lanka came back strongly to register back to back victories in the last Test series between the two teams here in August last year, beating Pakistan by seven wickets in the first Test in Galle and by 105 runs in the second Test at SSC grounds to pocket the series two-nil.

Pakistan has not won a Test series over Sri Lanka since November 2011 and they would make every effort to break that hoodoo by capitalizing on the ten-wicket win they registered in the first Test played in Galle last week. Their last series win over Sri Lanka was in the UAE in 2011, a neutral venue duo to terrorist threats in Pakistan, but they will get a good chance to win a Test series in Sri Lanka this time around.

Although the Galle International Stadium has been a happy-hunting venue for Sri Lanka the lady luck did not smile with the hosts this time around. Sri Lanka surrendered meekly to the tourists in Galle last week, giving Pakistan an early advantage in the Test series.

However, Galle remains as Sri Lanka’s luckiest Test venue, winning 13 of the 25 played there with only six defeats and six drawn games. Pakistan had lost three of the five Tests they have played against Sri Lanka in Galle.

Out of all Test nations, Sri Lanka has registered the most number of victories against Bangladesh (14) while their second most number of wins has come against Pakistan (13). However, Pakistan remains the country that has inflicted Sri Lanka its most number of Test defeats (18), ahead of Australia which has beaten Sri Lanka in 17 Test

A well-informed source in the PCB told PTI that the PCB had managed to convince the head of the Sri Lankan cricket interim committee, Sidath Wettimuny to visit Lahore for the last one-day international against Zimbabwe this Sunday.
“The PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan plans to hold talks with Wettimuny on the possibility of Sri Lankan sending its team for a series in April next year,” the source said.
“Pakistan has already got positives vibes from Sri Lanka and they are hopeful they will host another international side next year,” the source added.
Test teams stopped touring Pakistan in March, 2009 when militants attacked the Lankan team in Lahore, in which six Pakistani policemen and a van driver were killed and some visiting players wounded.
Since that horrific incident, Test teams had stopped touring Pakistan until Cricket Zimbabwe agreed earlier this month to send its team for a limited-overs series in Lahore.
According to the man in charge of supervising the security details for the visiting teams, the security system installed to safeguard Zimbabwe surpasses the protocol given to even the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan.
According to the PCB’s Senior General Manager Vigilance Muhammad Azam Khan, the board and Punjab government have ensured watertight security for Zimbabwe and it has already had a positive impact internationally. Azam said the best security mechanism was being provided to the touring side with nothing left to chance.
“All Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) are involved in making sure nothing goes wrong anywhere whether it is the stadium, hotel or anywhere else,” said Azam.
“Lahore is on high alert because even a small incident can take us back to square one,” he added.
Azam said that for the series to be made possible there was great coordination between all security agencies.
The threats were assessed and in this entire process, all prime intelligence agencies in the country were taken on board to get their approval before giving the final go ahead for the series.