Galle, April 28 () Off-spinner Ramesh Mendis picked a five-wicket haul while conceding 64 runs as Sri Lanka beat Ireland by an innings and ten runs on day five of the second Test to complete a 2-0 series sweep at the Galle International Stadium, here on Friday.
Ireland had put up a record-breaking performance in the first innings, crossing 400 for the first time in Test cricket with Paul Stirling and Curtis Campher both making hundreds in their total of 492. But going into the final day’s play, they were facing an uphill battle for survival after Sri Lanka declared on 704/3 in their first innings and Ireland had lost two wickets on day four.
Day five’s play began with Andrew Balbirnie and Harry Tector in the middle, but the Ireland captain was struck on the helmet by a bouncer from the fiery Asitha Fernando and left the field after receiving medical attention.
Stirling attempted to counter-attack but picked out extra cover after backing away and driving off Prabath Jayasuriya. The scalp meant the Sri Lanka left-arm spinner became the fast bowler to reach 50 Test wickets, doing so in just seven Tests, snatching the record from West Indies’ Alf Valentine.
Jayasuriya also equalled the second fastest bowler overall to reach the 50-wicket mark along with Vernon Philander of South Africa and Tom Richardson of England. The two pacers also claimed 50 wickets in seven Tests with Philander hitting the mark in 2012 and Richardson in 1896.
Tucker and Campher each made starts, but neither could match their substantial contributions in the first innings. Tucker’s dismissal was unfortunate, a Fernando bouncer rising up off his body before bouncing and trickling back onto the stumps. Campher fell sweeping, attempting an attacking stroke to disturb the close-in fielders, but instead gloved to leg slip.
Balbirnie returned to the field, partnering with Tector to take the side to lunch without any further loss. But post lunch, Balbirnie fell after being caught behind and Mendis struck twice in quick succession Andy McBrine edged to slip, while Graham Hume was undone by a beauty, which turned and took the thinnest of grazes to keeper’s gloves.
Tector demonstrated plenty of heart and resolve, as well as a solid defensive technique, in bringing up a 159-ball half-century. With Matthew Humphreys looking solid and the ball soft, Tector accelerated.
Jayasuriya was smashed twice through the off-side for four before being lofted for six, while Mendis was slog-swept twice in successive balls for six and four, Tector playing with the spin in style.
Fernando was then pulled for six as Ireland inched close to taking the lead, and Tector towards a marvellous century. But the game came to a close soon as Tector and Ben White were castled in quick succession to confirm an Irish loss.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 704/3 dec in 151 overs beat Ireland 492 and 202 in 77.3 overs (Harry Tector 85, Andrew Balbirnie 46, Ramesh Mendis 5/64, Asitha Fernando 3/30) by an innings and 10 runs
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