Mendis hits 121 as Sri Lanka bat first against England at Headingley

Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis hit 121 from 100 balls against England in the second One Day International at Headingley. Sri Lanka batted first in Leeds on 24 September, with Mendis leading the innings from the top order BBC.

It came at a famous old ground. Headingley in Leeds staged the second ODI of the tour on 24 September Cricinfo.

An ODI is the 50-overs-a-side game. Each team bats once. It lasts most of the day, longer than a T20 dash but finished in one sitting, unlike a five-day Test.

This England trip was set as three T20Is and three ODIs from 15 to 27 September Yahoo Sports. Mendis was named tour captain for that trip, with Charith Asalanka as his deputy.

The hundred followed a much quieter outing two days earlier. In England’s win reported on 22 September, Mendis made 42 from 60 balls Reuters. That match belonged to Will Jacks. He took five wickets and then finished the chase with 46 not out.

So the response was swift. Forty-two became 121. Sixty balls became a hundred balls faced for nearly three times the return.

What makes this stand out is the timing and the pace. A captain’s hundred, at better than a run a ball, changes the shape of an ODI innings. It allows partners to play around him. It keeps the scoreboard moving without reckless risks.

For fans new to the format, that tempo matters. One hundred balls is less than a third of a full 50-over innings. To score 121 from them means regular boundaries with sharp running between the wickets. Bowlers cannot settle.

Sri Lanka will need more around him. England’s attack had shown its teeth in the previous game through Jacks. Headingley can help seam bowlers early, then flatten out for batting.

The tour runs to 27 September. With white-ball games coming thick and fast, Mendis has given Sri Lanka a platform innings to build on.