Wed Sep 18 15:50:00 UTC 2024: ## Sri Lankan Star Kamindu Mendis Makes History with Seventh Consecutive Fifty-Plus Score in Tests
**Galle, Sri Lanka** – Sri Lankan batsman Kamindu Mendis has achieved a historic feat, scoring a century in his seventh Test match, becoming only the second player in the history of Test cricket to score a fifty-plus score in each of his first seven Tests.
Mendis, who made his Test debut in July 2022, has consistently impressed with his batting, scoring at least one half-century in each of his previous six Tests. His latest accomplishment, a courageous century against New Zealand on Wednesday, cemented his place in cricketing history.
The last player to achieve this remarkable feat was Pakistan’s Saud Shakeel, who achieved the milestone in 2022. Mendis’s century also came in his hometown, making the achievement even more special for the young all-rounder.
Despite a shaky start, Sri Lanka rallied behind Mendis’s impressive innings, reaching 302 for seven at stumps on the first day of the first Test against New Zealand. The hosts had struggled early in the day, losing four wickets for just 106 runs. However, Mendis and Kusal Mendis (50) combined for a crucial 103-run stand, rescuing Sri Lanka from a precarious position.
New Zealand’s rookie fast bowler William O’Rourke was initially a thorn in Sri Lanka’s side, picking up two quick wickets. However, Mendis’s brilliance and a strong performance from the middle order allowed Sri Lanka to gain the upper hand.
“It’s a special hundred this one, as this came in my hometown,” said Mendis. “I should have gone on to get a big one, but I couldn’t do much about that ball.”
The second day of the Test promises to be exciting, with New Zealand hoping to make early inroads and Sri Lanka aiming for a strong total.
First Piper 