Sri Lanka beat Ireland by an innings and 280 runs
Sri Lanka claimed a commanding victory on day three of their first Test against Ireland by an innings and 280 runs in Galle.
Ten wickets from Prabath Jayasuriya helped Sri Lanka claim their biggest ever win, and condemn Ireland to their heaviest Test defeat.
Captain Dimuth Karunaratne produced another excellent performance and was the top scorer with 179.
Ireland are now winless in their five Test series since 2018.
“It’s another test match under the belt for a lot of our cricketers,” Ireland captain Andrew Balbirnie said of their experience.
“A lot of us want to play Test cricket but we got a real taste of that over the last three days.
“Sri Lanka at home are a daunting prospect for any team, never mind a team that hasn’t played a lot of Test cricket.
“Certainly there are learnings but we’ve got to find a way to compete better.”
Electing to bat, Sri Lanka seized early control and amassed 591-6 before declaring their first innings at the Galle International Stadium.
Karunaratne was one of four players to claim unbeaten hundreds alongside Kusal Mendis (140), Dinesh Chandimal (102) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (104).
Ireland were out for 143 in their first innings after Lorcan Tucker’s dismissal, with the 26-year-old ending on 45.
Left-arm spinner Jayasuriya caused Ireland the most damage, claiming a career best 7-52.
Made to follow on, Ireland managed 168 in their second innings, with Ramesh Mendis (4-76) and Jayasuriya (3-56) taking the bulk of the wickets.
That reduced Ireland to 40-5 before lunch, but Harry Tector and Curtis Campher resisted with a 60-run stand.
This was the second time in as many Tests that the pair have put on a half-century stand. The partnership was broken when Nishan Madushka pulled off a good reflex catch at short leg to dismiss Campher for 30 and give Ramesh Mendis his second wicket in the innings.
Mendis finished with four wickets on his 11th appearance, becoming the joint-fastest Sri Lankan to get 50 Test wickets alongside off-spinner Dilruwan Perera.
Tector’s promising innings was cut short when he pushed one to mid-off and hurried for a single, but there was no response from the non-striker.
Midway down the pitch, he turned back, slipped and despite a dive couldn’t save himself, departing for 42.
Jayasuriya bagged another three scalps, including the final one to fall, trapping Ben White leg-before for one.
The series was the first ever Test between Sri Lanka and Ireland. The sides face each other again on Monday at the same venue in the second Test.
“(Ireland) are new to this format and they are still learning,” said Karunaratne.
“But I think they were really good and in future they will be a good team as well.” (BBC)
