Gehan Mendis

As a youngster, Mendis represented the Sussex Young Cricketers, England Schools Cricket Association, and National Association of Young Cricketers teams,[1][2] and in 1974, Mendis played for Bede College as they won the British Colleges National Knockout Cup.[3] He made his first-class debut for Sussex in a 1974 County Championship match against Worcestershire at the Central Recreation Ground, Hastings. Mendis made one run in the match.[4] In 1977, Mendis was part of a Sussex team that lost to Ireland at Pagham; Mendis scored 42 in the first innings of the match.[5][6] Mendis scored 1326 runs in the 1980 season, which was the first time that he had scored over 1000 runs in a season. During the season, Mendis scored two double centuries.[7][8] In addition, he was the top scorer in the 1980 Gillette Cup with 296 runs from 4 innings, including two centuries.[9] Mendis scored 119 against Glamorgan and 141 against Warwickshire, both at the County Ground.[10] As a result, he was named the Sussex Cricket Society Player of the Year for 1980.[11] In 1985, Mendis almost became the twelfth first-class cricketer to score five centuries in six innings; he was 96 not out when Sussex declared in a match against Hampshire.[12]

After 12 seasons with Sussex, Mendis joined Lancashire for the 1986 season.[1][12] During his time at Lancashire, Mendis frequently practised in the nets with Wasim Akram.[13] In 1988, Mendis carried the bat in a match against Glamorgan at St Helen's, Swansea; Mendis scored 65* in Lancashire's second innings total of 163.[14][15] In 1990, Mendis was part of the Lancashire team that won both the Benson & Hedges Cup and the NatWest Trophy.[16] He scored 180 runs in a match against Nottinghamshire at Southport.[17] The 1990 Natwest Trophy semi-final was played over three days, and Mendis batted throughout, scoring 121*, eventually receiving the man of the match award.[16][18] In 1993, Mendis was given a benefit year by Lancashire.[1]

Mendis also appeared in a 1989 match for the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) against Scotland at Glenpark.[19]

Mendis was born in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), and his family emigrated to the United Kingdom when he was 12; as a result, he was eligible to play for either Sri Lanka or England, although he did not make international appearances for either.[1] Mendis was educated at Brighton, Hove and Sussex Grammar School and currently works in Wilmslow, Cheshire as a teacher.[16] His nephew Alex Mendis has played for Sussex Second XI in the Second Eleven Championship between 2005 and 2006.[20]

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