Mark Adair Andy Balbirnie Andy Macbrine Ireland Sri Lanka Afghanistan cricket Sport win Test Mark Adair Andy Balbirnie Andy Macbrine Ireland Sri Lanka Afghanistan

Sri Lanka finish off Ireland swiftly for record Test win

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Ireland came unstuck against spinners Prabath Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis as Sri Lanka recorded their biggest Test win with an innings-and-280-run triumph inside three days.Slow left-armer Jayasuriya finished with a 10-wicket match haul after following up a Test-best seven for 52 in Ireland's 143 all out first time around with three for 56 in the tourists’ follow-on.Jayasuriya fittingly claimed the final wicket as Ireland were skittled for 168 in their second innings, where off-spinner Mendis was the pick of the bowlers with four for 76 on a turning track in Galle.A humbling defeat for Ireland is mitigated by this being only their fifth match in this format – they have now lost all five – since being granted Test status alongside Afghanistan in June 2017.Ireland struggled to adapt to unfamiliar subcontinent conditions and were up against it after slipping to 117 for seven on day two in response to Sri Lanka’s mammoth 591 for six declared.Lorcan Tucker provided some resistance on Tuesday morning, taking three fours in an over off left-arm seamer Vishwa Fernando, but the Ireland wicketkeeper-batter was struck on the back leg after playing all around an attempted sweep at Jayasuriya and departed five short of half-century.Mark Adair was stumped two balls later while Andy McBrine was given out lbw on review in Mendis’ next over as Ireland lost their final three wickets for no runs in nine deliveries.Matters hardly improved as Ireland were asked to bat again following a yawning 448-run first-innings deficit, with Murray Commins bagging a pair and falling to Vishwa once more after skewing to point.Vishwa also took the edge of Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie in an excellent opening spell of 4-2-3-2 but with lavish turn on

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Sri Lanka off-spinner Ramesh Mendis claimed five second innings wickets as his team thumped Ireland by an innings and 10 runs in the second test for a 2-0 series sweep in Galle on Friday.
Nishan Madushka and Kusal Mendis both made double centuries against Ireland Thursday as Sri Lanka's top four batters all hit hundreds for only the third time in Test history. The hosts declared their first innings on 704 for three after tea on the fourth day of the second Test in Galle, 212 runs ahead. Ireland were 54 for two at stumps, needing a further 158 on the final day to avoid a second straight innings defeat. Ireland could still achieve an historic first draw if they can hang on after losing all five of their games since obtaining Test status in 2017.
Ireland's bowlers struggled to take wickets in sapping conditions on day four in Galle as Sri Lanka mounted 704-3 declared, led by Kusal Mendis’ 245, before the hosts claimed two early wickets to help set up an intriguing fifth day as Ireland fight to save a draw.
Ireland toiled for little reward in the field a day after their record-breaking batting feats as Sri Lanka charged to 357 for one in Galle to trail the tourists by just 135.
Ireland posted their highest-ever Test score of 492 on Tuesday as Paul Stirling and Curtis Campher became only the third and fourth Irishmen to hit centuries in cricket's longest format. Sri Lanka were 81 without loss in reply before rain stopped play on day two in Galle, 411 runs behind with Nishan Madushka unbeaten on 41 and Dimuth Karunaratne 39 not out. But the day belonged to Ireland, with Stirling scoring 103 and Campher 111 after captain Andy Balbirnie made 95 on day one. Lorcan Tucker scored a useful 80 while Prabath Jayasuriya, the home hero of the first Test, took five wickets for 174. Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando took two wickets each.

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