Ireland collapse to innings defeat in high-scoring Test against Sri Lanka

28 April, 2023

Hosts Sri Lanka on Friday routed Ireland by an innings and 10 runs in the second Test played at Galle and clinched the series 2-0.

The tourists were skittled out for 202 in their second innings, leaving them 10 shy of Sri Lanka's tally of 704-3 declared.

Ramesh Mendis ripped through Ireland's batting on the last day as he took 5-64 despite Harry Tector's brave 85.

Ireland had opened with their highest Test total of 492 in their first innings, before the hosts' response.

The docile pitch had meant for a runs fest on the opening four days but Mendis' superb bowling performance ensured that the hosts wrapped up victory before tea on Friday.

Sri Lanka won last week's opening Test by an innings and 280 runs and the defeat sees Ireland's run of Test losses since becoming a full member of the International Cricket Council in 2017 stretch to six matches.

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Asitha Fernando took three wickets, including the closing dismissals of Tector and Ben White that sealed Sri Lanka's victory.

Ireland went into the final day on 54-2 – still 158 runs adrift of the hosts' mammoth first-inning total.

They suffered an early blow as captain Andrew Balbirnie was forced off the field after being hit on the helmet by a bouncer from paceman Fernando when he was 24 not out.

Paul Stirling came on as the skipper's replacement after notching his first Test century on day two but managed only one run before being sent back to the pavilion as Prabath Jayasuriya became the fastest Sri Lankan to reach 50 Tests wickets when Kusal Mendis took a superb diving catch.

Lorcan Tucker, who had hit a brisk 80 in Ireland's first innings, managed only 13 before a short ball from Fernando struck his ribcage and dribbled onto the stumps to leave the Irish on 78-4.

Ireland's other first-inning century maker Curtis Campher contributed only 12 before becoming Ramesh Mendis' third wicket as he gloved to Kusal Mendis when attempting a sweep shot.

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That saw Balbirnie return to the field but the skipper's hopes of producing a match-saving knock, after his 95 in the first innings, were dashed as he was out for 46 after becoming another of Mendis' victims with Angelo Mathews taking the catch.

Tector tried gamely to ensure that Ireland avoided an innings defeat as he hit three sixes and eight fours but ran out of partners as the tourists were unable to force Sri Lanka to bat again.

Kusal Mendis (245) and Nishan Madushka (205) both fired double centuries in Sri Lanka's massive first innings with captain Dimuth Karunaratne hitting 115 and Mathews making 100 not out.

That was only the third occasion in Test history that a batting line-up's top four had all scored centuries.