Sri Lanka finish off Ireland swiftly for record Test win

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