Match Details
W-R | Overs | Econ |
---|---|---|
3-56 | 24.1 | 2.32 |
Tottering at 117/7, Lorcan Tucker and Andy McBrine continued the play for Ireland on the moving day of the Test match. With Ireland being 474 runs behind and with only 3 wickets in hand, one may have anticipated Sri Lanka to wag the tail, but the left-right duo of Tucker and McBrine had other arrangements. The gloveman Tucker was excellent with his front foot defense and took some calculative risks. However, his progress was halted by Prabath Jayasuriya as the left-arm spinner trapped in front on 45(73) with the help of 7 fours.
Following Tucker’s departure, the Sri Lankan bowlers were quick to turn the boat around and bagged the remaining two wickets in a trice. McBrine 7(35) displayed some resistance but he too was outdone by a skiddy delivery of Ramesh Mendis. Prabath Jayasuriya claimed his career-best figures of 7/52 to bundle out Ireland for 143 in their first innings. The Dimuth Karunaratne-led side enforced a follow-on as Ireland was asked to survive a tricky period before Lunch.
James McCollum and Murray Commins spearheaded the innings again for Ireland in a quest to reduce the deficit but the Sri Lankan bowlers were once again impeccable with the fresh red cherry. Vishwa Fernando drew first blood in Ireland’s second innings by dismissing the southpaw Commins for a duck for the second time in this Test match. Andrew Balbirnie looked to redress the failure of the first innings but the Irish skipper was outwitted by a brilliant away swinger from Fernando and had to walk back for 6(16).
Harry Tector, the next batter in, joined forces with McCollum to supply a little period of respite. However, Prabath Jayasuriya once again lures McCollum into a trap and dismisses the right-hander for 8(28). Lorcan Tucker 6(10) was unable to carry on with his first innings performance as Jayasuriya spins his web again. To fan the flames, Ireland lost another wicket at the stroke of Lunch as Peter Moor 0(5) spooned a simple catch to Nishan Madushka at short leg.
Ireland resumed the post-lunch session on 41/5 and they were quite evidently in huge trouble. Harry Tector and Curtis Campher resumed the play for Ireland and the duo took the aggressive route early on. A cluster of sweeps and reverse sweeps were tested out by both batters to break the rhythm of the bowlers. Curtis and Tector dictated the play well for Ireland for the first half of the session. The duo glued up a 60-run partnership for the 6th wicket Mendis dismissed Campher for 30(73).
That was soon followed by an unfortunate run-out of Tector on 42(95) in the 40th over. George Dockrell counterattacked and collected some boundaries but the wickets kept tumbling at the other end as Ireland was positioned at 135/8 at the Tea break. Dockrell and Adair batted with persistence in the final session of the day and vexed the hosts. The 36-run partnership between the duo was ceased by Mendis and following that, it didn’t take Sri Lanka long enough to skittle out Ireland for 168. Jayasuriya bagged three wickets in Ireland's second innings to complete his 10-wicket haul in the Test match. Mendis also clinched 4 wickets on a surface that was mainly dominated by the bowlers.
Earlier in the Test match, after being elected to bat first, Sri Lanka posted a mammoth total of 591/6 before declaring the innings. After losing Nishan Madushka for 29(48), Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis stitched a whopping 281-run partnership. George Dockrell provided the desperate breakthrough to Ireland by dismissing Mendis for 140(193).
The southpaw Karunaratne also accumulated 179(235) before Mark Adair got the better of him. Sri Lanka kept on piling runs despite a couple of breakthroughs. Dinesh Chandimal brought up his 14th Test century and remained unbeaten at 102* (155). The keeper Sadeera Samarawickrama also registered his maiden Test century 104* (114) before Sri Lanka decided to declare the innings on Day 2. Stick around for the post-match presentation!