Senior Sri Lankan cricketer Dinesh Chandimal scored his maiden double century in Test cricket during the ongoing Test against Australia. Chandimal, who started the day at 118, went on to score 206 runs as Sri Lanka were all out for 554 runs. In the process, Chandimal also broke Kumar Sangakkara’s 15-year-old record against Australia.
Sangakkara had scored 192 runs against the Aussies in 2007 – which was the highest score by a Sri Lankan batsman in whites against Australia before Chandimal’s double ton.
As he began to run out of partners, Chandimal adopted an aggressive approach against the Aussies where his final 47 runs came off just 28 balls. Chandimal hit premier Australian speedster Mitchell Starc for one four and two sixes to cross the 200-run mark.
In response to Australia’s 364 in the innings, riding on Chandimal’s double ton, Sri Lanka posted a huge total of 554, taking a 190-run lead in the first innings. Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith scored centuries in the first innings and added 130-run stand for the third wicket.
Sri Lanka reached 431-6 at stumps on day three of the second test against Australia on Sunday. Chandimal remained unbeaten on 206 as Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Swepson were the pick of the bowlers for Australia.
In the second innings, Prabath Jayasuriya was the wrecker-in-chief as his six-wicket haul helped Sri Lanka bowl Australia out for 151 runs. Sri Lanka won the contest by an innings and 39 runs. Maheesh Theekshana and Ramesh Mendis also bagged two wickets apiece.
