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Ireland tour of Sri Lanka to play 2 Tests (2023)

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Ireland Men’s Tour of Sri Lanka 2023

The Ireland Men’s National Team will tour Sri Lanka in April 2023 for a two-match Test series.

Both games will be played at the Galle International Cricket Stadium.

The decision to play two test matches instead of one test match and two ODIs, as planned earlier, was taken mutually following discussions held between Sri Lanka Cricket and Cricket Ireland.

WzH83lO.png
 
A Tests only tour? What is this world coming to?!
 
Returning to Test cricket after four years, Ireland made a solid impression in Bangladesh and are now hoping to put up a fight against Sri Lanka in Galle in the two-match Test series that begins on 16 April.

Ireland had six debutants when they took on Bangladesh in Mirpur last week, and put up a commendable performance by taking a lead in the second innings, setting Bangladesh a decent target.

While they went on to lose the match eventually, the group of Test rookies had done enough to impress Bangladesh's senior all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan.

"Ireland played well, we didn't expect it," Shakib said. "They showed a lot of fight, but that's their nature. They are fighters. That's what they showed to us."

Notably, one of them, Ben White, was making his first-class debut and could now be one of the two spinners that Ireland play in the two-match Test series in Sri Lanka.

The other, Andy Balbirnie, will be a key player in these conditions, and he stepped up to the challenge in Bangladesh, taking a six-wicket haul in the first innings and making a 72 with the bat from lower down the order.

Paul Stirling will be a big addition to the Test squad for the second match of the series and Ireland will hope that they can get there with the scoreline not in favour of the hosts, as huge a task as that sounds.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, haven't won a Test series at home since 2021, with both Pakistan and Australia levelling their respective series in 2022.

They have lost four of the last eight Test matches in Galle, notably losing both their Tests to England in 2021 to concede the series.

The hosts have also rung in some changes from the squad that toured New Zealand recently and lost both Tests. That series confirmed Sri Lanka wouldn't qualify for the final of the ICC World Test Championship. They finished the cycle with five wins in 12 Tests, finishing fifth in the points table.

Squads

Sri Lanka (first Test only): Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya De Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Nishan Madushka (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Dushan Hemantha, Lasith Embuldeniya, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Milan Rathnayake

Ireland: Andrew Balbirnie (c), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Murray Commins, George Dockrell, Fionn Hand, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Tom Mayes, Andrew McBrine, James McCollum, Paul Stirling (only for 2nd Test), PJ Moor, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White

ICC
 
Wish we scheduled 3 tests in Ireland next summer. Otherwise we’ll be limited to the ~5 or so tests that are scheduled for the entire year (thank you Ramiz raja!).

At least given the weather conditions in Ireland the games could be somewhat competitive.
 
Sri Lanka Cricket has decided to allow free entry for the public to witness the test series between Sri Lanka and Ireland, which will be played at the Galle International Cricket Ground.
 
Sri Lanka vs Ireland, 1st Test

Sri Lanka have won the toss and have opted to bat


Teams:
Ireland (Playing XI): James McCollum, Murray Commins, Andrew Balbirnie(c), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, Peter Moor, Lorcan Tucker(w), George Dockrell, Andy McBrine, Mark Adair, Benjamin White

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Dimuth Karunaratne(c), Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama(w), Prabath Jayasuriya, Ramesh Mendis, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando
 
SL 119/1 (28) CRR: 4.25
Day 1: Lunch Break

==

An easy session for Sri Lanka. After winning the toss and batting first, they have eased to 119-1 in that opening session.

No trouble at all for Karunaratne and Madushka who put on a 64-run stand for the opening wicket before the allrounder Curtis Campher struck to remove the latter.

It was a good ball too for it held its line and induced the outside-edge.

The Sri Lankan captain though has sauntered on to his 35th Test fifty and has looked in no trouble at all.

Kusal Mendis on the other hand has been beaten a couple of times but apart from that has put the bad ball away.

Long hard toil awaits the Irish bowlers on a steaming hot day in Galle.
 
150 run partnership between Kusal Mendis and Karunaratne!

Sri Lanka on top and scoring well - 218/1 (51.2) CRR: 4.25

Karunaratne 100 coming up
 
Two late wickets gave Ireland hope on an otherwise dominant day one for Sri Lanka in Galle. Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis both scored centuries as the home side piled on 386 runs for the loss of four wickets.

Karunaratne won the toss and unsurprisingly elected to bat first on a placid Galle wicket. He nearly carried his bat through the day’s play, scoring his 15th Test century and putting on a big second-wicket partnership with Mendis worth 281 runs, the highest-ever Test partnership at Galle.

Ireland made two crucial breakthroughs at the end of a long day in the field however, as Mendis and then Angelo Mathews fell within three overs of each other. Mathews only lasted three balls before taking a wild swipe at a delivery from Ben White, out for his fifth Test match duck.

Sri Lanka had started positively early in the day, racing to 40-0 after the first ten overs of the Test. With minimal assistance in the pitch for the seamers, Mark Adair was into the attack early in the day but gave little respite for the Ireland fielders, Karunaratne taking two boundaries off his first over.

As the scoring rate continued to increase, Ireland found a much-needed breakthrough in the first hour. Curtis Campher took his first Test wicket with a ripper of a delivery to dismiss Nishan Madushka for 29. The ball just nipped away from an off-stump line to take the outside edge of Madushka’s bat through to Lorcan Tucker behind the stumps.

However, that was to be the last wicket for over two sessions worth of play. Karunaratne reached his half-century before lunch off 69 balls, with Mendis going into the break on 33 - 119 runs scored in the session.

The middle session was particularly bruising for Ireland as the Sri Lanka heat reached its peak. Mendis hit the first maximum of the day, smashing Andy McBrine high over long-on to bring up his half-century. The hundred partnership came up two overs later.

As Ireland toiled without success, the run rate crept back up over four again and, less than two overs after the partnership passed the 150 milestone, Karunaratne reached his hundred with a front-foot drive through cover. In four Test innings this year, Karunaratne has passed fifty in all but one of them; this was his first century since March last year against India in Bengaluru.

Mendis was also closing in on his century but would have to wait until after the interval to pass three figures. Between them, Mendis and Karunaratne scored 126 runs off 28 overs in the afternoon session. It took Mendis five balls to move from 94 to his hundred. He reached the milestone with a single to backward point, having ramped Mark Adair to the boundary for four off the previous delivery.

The two batters continued their march deep into the evening session, bringing up the 200-run stand by taking ten runs of one McBrine over. After a first scare for Sri Lanka in several hours - Ireland losing a review checking a caught behind - the partnership became the highest ever in a Test at Galle. It passed the previous record of 267 set by Mohammad Ashraful and Mushfiqur Rahim for Bangladesh in 2013.

But, just as Ireland faced the realistic possibility of taking just the single wicket in the day, George Dockrell made the breakthrough. He trapped Mendis LBW looking for the sweep – the review from Mendis showed all three reds to give Dockrell some reward after he conceded 59 runs from his previous ten overs.

Two overs later, and Ireland had their third. Mathews chased a short and wide delivery from Ben White, the ball taking a feather from his top edge and through to the keeper. A bonus for the tourists at the end of a difficult day.

Karunaratne’s extraordinary innings also came to an end before the close of play. He was caught behind for 179, playing the shot of a batter who’d been at the crease all day, wafting his bat outside off and finding a nick.

Ireland will resume on Day Two looking to run through Sri Lanka's middle order to build on a positive end to the day.


MATCH SUMMARY

Sri Lanka v Ireland, First Test match, Day One, Galle International Stadium, Galle, 16 April 2023

Sri Lanka 386-4 (88 overs; Dimuth Karunaratne 179, Kusal Mendis 140, Curtis Campher 1-44)
 
Big teams struggle against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka so Ireland will find it tough going.Sri Lankan wins against Ireland don’t mean anything because Ireland is a school team(according to Pak fans).
 
Fenrir said:
Big teams struggle against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka so Ireland will find it tough going.Sri Lankan wins against Ireland don’t mean anything because Ireland is a school team(according to Pak fans).
Click to expand...

Very true

Sri Lanka dominating now and only result is possible

SL 453/6 (104.4) CRR: 4.33
 
This will be over very soon!

SL 591/6 d
IRE 8/2 (3.3) CRR: 2.29
Day 2: 2nd Session - Ireland trail by 583 runs
 
Recovery of sorts by Ireland now but miles away from any sort of secure position

IRE 57/2 (18.3) CRR: 3.08
Day 2: 3rd Session - Ireland trail by 534 runs
 
SL 591/6 d
IRE 117/7 (45) CRR: 2.6
Day 2: Stumps - Ireland trail by 474 runs

==

Sri Lanka are in a commanding position after the end of Day 2.

Mendis and Karunaratne notched up big centuries yesterday, while Chandimal and Samarawickrama made sure to hit tons before the hosts declared earlier in the day.

After having toiled in the field for 131 overs, Ireland players looked deflated, and they were further troubled by the Sri Lankan spinners in reply.

James McCollum and Harry Tector had a decent partnership after losing two wickets, but Jayasuriya made life difficult for the Irish batters in the final session. The left-arm spinner claimed five wickets to reduce Ireland to 108/7.

Tucker has got a start, but will he be able to convert this start into a big score?
 
As expected - Ireland in deep trouble

SL 591/6 d
IRE 143 & 8/2 (f/o) (5.1) CRR: 1.55
Day 3: 1st Session - Ireland trail by 440 runs
 
SL 591/6 d

IRE 143 & 168 (f/o)

Sri Lanka won by an innings and 280 runs

==

Sri Lanka win by an innings and 280 runs, the margin of victory shows how dominant Sri Lanka were throughout this game. It also happens to be their biggest innings victory in Test cricket.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first, the hosts batted brilliantly. Madushka couldn’t convert his start but Karunaratne and Mendis deflated the visitors by stitching a record 281-run stand for the second wicket, going past tons as well. Ireland did trigger a mini collapse though and it started with the fall of the latter.

Sri Lanka lost 5 wickets for 63 in that period. But, Chandimal and Samarawickrama batted brilliantly and scored centuries as well to take the game further away from Ireland. Sri Lanka declared on 591. The Irish bowlers were too much inconsistent with their lines and lengths and they paid the price for it.
 
GALLE, Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka completed victory by an innings and 280 runs on day three in Galle, as Ireland were outplayed by their hosts in spin-friendly conditions.

Lorcan Tucker and Andy McBrine gave Ireland a positive start to the day, adding 26 runs in the first six overs. Tucker in particular looked to get the score moving, and took Vishwa Fernando for three boundaries in an over, albeit with one of those coming off the edge of his bat.

Prabath Jayasuriya, who had picked up five wickets on day two, could not be resisted for long, however. With Tucker on 45, the 26-year-old wicketkeeper went down looking to sweep, but was undone by a fuller, quicker ball from the left-arm spinner. A review was not able to save the Ireland batter, with the umpire’s call being upheld on both the point of impact and whether the ball was going on to hit the stumps.

Mark Adair lasted just two balls before being stumped as Jayasuriya turned one past the edge of his attempted shot over cover, leaving the left-armer with figures of 7-52. McBrine was trapped LBW by Ramesh Mendis in the next over as the last three wickets all fell with the score on 143.

With a lead of 448 runs on first innings, Sri Lanka chose to enforce the follow on and were quickly rewarded. Murray Commins fell to Fernando without scoring for the second time in the match, as he lobbed a catch to point off a leading edge.

The Sri Lanka opening bowler soon had another wicket to his name, producing a quick, seaming delivery from back of a length to take the edge of captain Andrew Balbirnie.

James McCollum fell victim to Jayasuriya for the second time in the match, this time an attempted drive to a ball well outside off stump saw a sharp chance taken at slip. And Tucker would have been feeling déjà vu when he was pinned leg before to the spinner while sweeping just a few overs later.

In the final minutes before lunch, PJ Moor fell to an outstanding catch at short leg by Nishan Madushka off the face of the bat to leave Ireland in the lurch at 41-5 at the break, still trailing by 407 runs.

Harry Tector and Curtis Campher held strong after the interval though and had soon brought up their fifty partnership. The same pair posted a 74-run stand against Bangladesh at the start of the month.

But with both players seemingly working their way towards individual half-centuries, an outstanding piece of anticipation and fielding at short leg by Madushka saw Campher’s paddle sweep end up in the fielder’s hands and the 23-year-old heading back to the pavilion for 30.

Tector also fell short of the landmark, run out for 42 in unfortunate circumstances as he slipped over and lost his bat in the process of turning back after a sharp single was declined by his batting partner. A desperate dive saw the young batter well short as the stumps were broken by the Sri Lanka wicketkeeper and he was left sprawled on the ground for some time in disappointment while the third umpire confirmed his demise.

George Dockrell and McBrine looked to counter-attack, but the latter edged a threatening delivery from Mendis to slip just before the tea break to leave just two wickets required for the hosts to wrap up victory.

The break again hardened Ireland’s resolve, and Dockrell and Mark Adair held out the Sri Lanka bowlers for a while after resumption, putting on 36 runs together before Mendis turned one sharply from around the wicket to trap Dockrell in front for 32.

Ben White suffered the same fate just two balls later, as Jayasuriya took his 10th wicket of the match, wrapping up a comprehensive win for the home side.

The second and final Test begins on Monday, 24 April at the same venue.


MATCH SUMMARY

Sri Lanka v Ireland, First Test match, Day Two, Galle International Stadium, Galle, 16th April 2023

Sri Lanka 591-4 (131 overs; Dimuth Karunaratne 179, Kusal Mendis 140, Curtis Campher 2-84)
Ireland 143 (52.3 overs; Lorcan Tucker 45, James McCollum 35, Harry Tector 34, Prabath Jayasuriya 7-52)
Ireland 168 (54.1 overs; Harry Tector 42, George Dockrell 32; W Mendis 4-76)

Sri Lanka won by an innings and 280 runs
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&#55357;&#56547; SRI LANKA TEAM: Squad for 2nd Test Match Retained! &#55356;&#57295;&#55356;&#56817;&#55356;&#56816;<br><br>The same 15-member squad for the second test match against Ireland. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SLvIRE?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SLvIRE</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LionsRoar?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LionsRoar</a> <br><br>⏰ The second test match will kick off on April 24, 2023 &#55357;&#56787;️ at the Galle International Cricket Ground &#55356;&#57311;️ <a href="https://t.co/nSwrkfBdNc">pic.twitter.com/nSwrkfBdNc</a></p>— Sri Lanka Cricket &#55356;&#56817;&#55356;&#56816; (@OfficialSLC) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialSLC/status/1648655718835458053?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Ireland got a taste of Galle pitch. Got crushed completely.

I was surprised they bowled an off-spinner (McBrine) for that long. SL mostly have right-handed batters. Off-break bowler isn't effective against them.
 
Ireland spin bowling coach Nathan Hauritz is backing his slow bowlers to produce an improved performance during the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.

Last week's first Test was a one-sided affair as four Sri Lanka batters scored centuries and Ireland's spinners struggled to adjust to the conditions as the hosts cruised to an emphatic innings and 280-run victory.

But Hauritz is confident Ireland will be more competitive when the second and final Test of the series commences on Monday, especially if his team has some luck at the toss and gets the chance to bat first.

"If we get the opportunity to bat first and put a good score on the board I’ll back our spinners to create problems and it will be interesting to see how their (Sri Lanka) batters play against us. But bowling first in these conditions is honestly the hardest thing you can ever do as a spinner," Hauritz said.

"We bowled too many short balls (during the first Test), we have to get them (Sri Lanka batters) onto the front foot and put the pressure.

"We have to be patient and disciplined and land the ball in the right areas."

Ireland will be boosted by the inclusion of experienced batter Paul Stirling for the second Test, while Hauritz - who represented Australia on 78 occasions - hinted at the possibility of adding young left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys for his Test debut.

Experienced all-rounder George Dockrell worked tirelessly alongside fellow spinners Andy McBrine and Ben White during the opening Test, but Hauritz thinks Humphreys can make an impression if given an opportunity against Sri Lanka's talented batting line-up.

"He (Humphreys) will be as ready as he ever will be," Hauritz noted.

"He has bowled a lot of balls over the past three or four weeks when he got the chance to play a bit of international cricket in one-dayers and T20 cricket and we need the ball spinning away (from the right-handers)."

Ireland squad: Andrew Balbirnie (c), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Murray Commins, George Dockrell, Fionn Hand, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Tom Mayes, Andrew McBrine, James McCollum, Paul Stirling, PJ Moor, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White.

Icc
 
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Sri Lanka vs Ireland, 2nd Test

Ireland have won the toss and have opted to bat

Teams:

Ireland (Playing XI): Paul Stirling, James McCollum, Andrew Balbirnie(c), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, Peter Moor, Lorcan Tucker(w), Andy McBrine, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Benjamin White

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Nishan Madushka, Dimuth Karunaratne(c), Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama(w), Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando

==

Steady start so far for Ireland

IRE 12/0 (3.2) CRR: 3.6
 
A third Test half-century for Andrew Balbirnie - He's taken Ireland to 78-2 with just over half an hour to before lunch.
 
Seems a bit too good to be true.. but well done to Ireland.

IRE 168/3 (45.1) CRR: 3.72
Day 1: 2nd Session
 
Ireland 319/4 at close of play.Paul Stirling retired hurt due to cramps.This is a pretty good score in Sri Lankan conditions.If Ireland bat well then they can post 450 which will boost their morale.
 
Andrew Balbirnie hit a masterful 95 before Lorcan Tucker surpassed him as Ireland’s leading Test run-scorer on a superb day for the tourists in Galle. They reached 319-4 on day one of the second and final Test match of the series against Sri Lanka.

The Ireland captain registered his career-best Test score in a century stand with Paul Stirling but was dismissed five runs short of a maiden hundred in the evening session. Stirling also reached a career-best total of 74 before retiring hurt, struggling with cramp.

The two Ireland stalwarts rebuilt after Sri Lanka took early wickets, reducing the visitors to 43-2. Lorcan Tucker and Curtis Campher saw their side through to the close four wickets down on Ireland's best batting day this series.

Better luck followed Ireland right from the get-go as Balbirnie won the toss and elected to bat. Promoted up the order to open, PJ Moor was dismissed early, followed soon after by James McCollum, edging behind to Sameera Samarawickrama for ten.

Harry Tector was given a life early on, given out on 11 by Kumar Dharamasena - but the lbw decision was projected to be bouncing over the wicket on review. However, he was only able to add another seven runs before he charged down the pitch to Prabath Jayasuriya, looking to hit out but failing to clear a stretching mid-on fielder.

Charged with staving off another collapse, Stirling arrived at the crease fresh off the plane having joined the squad for this match only. True to style, he made his intentions clear early on, thumping a length ball over the square-leg boundary for a six to get off the mark from his third ball at the crease.

Stirling continued to be aggressive after lunch, hitting two more boundaries in consecutive overs early on. He allowed Balbirnie to settle into an accumulator role at the other end. Before the break, Balbirnie had reached his third Test match half-century off just 44 balls - the fastest ever for Ireland. But, with Stirling pushing on at the other end and the emphasis on conserving wickets, Balbirnie slowed down into the anchor role.

Reaping the rewards of his adventure, Stirling was dropped two balls before reaching his half-century, but he had earned his luck. Fishing at a length ball, Kusal Mendis put down a low chance at slip, allowing Stirling to lock in a maiden Test fifty - three sixes and four fours forming the bulk of the runs.

Having had a dominant middle session, Ireland faltered slightly in the early evening. Stirling had looked increasingly uncomfortable in the heat before the tea break, and less than three overs into the final session of the day and struggling with cramp, he was cut in half by a delivery from Asitha Fernando and ended up in a heap on the floor. The ball also beat the keeper to go for four, bringing up Ireland’s highest Test partnership in the process, but, after a lengthy delay and physio treatment, Stirling had to be helped off the field. He retired hurt on 74 and is expected to resume his innings on day two.

Tucker wasted no time in continuing Stirling’s pace of attack. He hit two fours in his second over at the crease as Balbirnie marched on towards a fairytale three figures.

But, disaster struck just when the milestone looked inevitable. Balbrinie tried to paddle-sweep Ramesh Mendis but was deceived by the bounce, the ball ballooning up off his top edge. It ended a superb innings, expertly paced, the centrepiece of Ireland’s best day of the series.

Tucker and Campher finished off the day with a record partnership for Ireland’s fifth wicket. Tucker notched his half-century with a boundary to punish Sri Lanka at the end of a long day in the heat. After Balbirnie passed Kevin O’Brien’s record of 270 Test runs for Ireland earlier in the day, Tucker surpassed his tally in just his third Test match, finishing unbeaten on 78.

He will resume with Campher (27*) on day two.


MATCH SUMMARY

Sri Lanka v Ireland, Second Test match, Day One, Galle International Stadium, Galle, 24 April 2023

Ireland 319-4 (90 overs; Andrew Balbirnie 95, Lorcan Tucker 78, Prabath Jayasuriya 2-95)
 
Ireland consolidating further this morning

IRE 364/5 (101) CRR: 3.6
 
Maiden Test Hundred for Paul Stirling, also maiden Test 50 for Curtis Campher

Ireland in the driving seat

385/6 (108.3) CRR: 3.55
 
Ireland are playing really well. Good to see then perform.

Its 472/6 now with Curtis Campher scoring his maiden century.
 
This is a huge score and SL will feel the pressure but experience is on their side and could see them fightback.

IRE 492 (145.3) CRR: 3.38
Day 2: Innings Break
 
Bad light brings Day 2 to an end.

==

IRE 492
SL 81/0 (18.1) CRR: 4.46
Day 2: Stumps - Sri Lanka trail by 411 runs

==
 
Paul Stirling and Curtis Campher hit their maiden Test centuries as Ireland posted a record total on day two in Galle.

Ireland was bowled out for 492 before rain brought a premature end to the evening session, with the Sri Lanka openers putting on 81 without loss in the 18 overs possible before the close.

Having retired hurt with severe cramp yesterday evening, Stirling became the second Ireland player after Kevin O’Brien to record centuries in all three international formats, finally dismissed for 103. Campher played a controlled innings with the lower order to reach his first international hundred in the afternoon session.

It was Ireland’s highest-ever Test total, surpassing their previous best of 339 against Pakistan at Malahide in 2018.

Resuming on 319-5, Lorcan Tucker was only able to add two runs to his overnight score of 78, surviving four balls before his stumps were knocked over by an excellent delivery from Vishwa Fernando. The ball cut through between Tucker’s bat and pad, taking out off stump to give Sri Lanka an early breakthrough.

From then on, however, Stirling and Campher dominated proceedings.

Resuming on 74, Stirling wasted no time in allaying any concerns that he was still struggling with injury. He hit an imperious four through the covers off Fernando to get up and running for the day.

Despite a ball change, umpire Kumar Dharamsena unable to get the still relatively new ball through the ring, the runs continued to flow. By drinks both batters were nearing milestones, Campher three runs short of fifty and Stirling on 96. Campher reached his first, walloping a length ball over cow corner to bring up his half-century.

Not wanting to be outdone, Stirling also cleared the boundary to reach his landmark. Having survived a three-ball wobble where he was beaten by consecutive deliveries from Asitha Fernando, a maximum over cover-point gave him his century. He is the third Ireland Test centurion, joining Tucker and Kevin O’Brien.

But, just two overs later, he was lured into a hook shot which fell straight into Dhananjaya da Silva’s hands on the fine leg boundary, bringing to an end a brilliant innings.

From here, Campher took over the reins, playing an innings of great maturity with the lower order. Joined at the crease by Andy McBrine, he pushed on after lunch as Ireland went past 400 for the first time in Test cricket.

A boundary after drinks took him to within two runs of three figures, with a single off the final ball of the same over leaving him on 99. Whatever nerves he may have been feeling didn’t show as he carved a four through square leg and roared in celebration of a special achievement. At just 24, he was the latest addition to the list of Ireland Test centurions which has quadrupled in this month alone.

Like Stirling, however, he couldn’t go on to make a significant post-century contribution. He was out for 111 to a ripping delivery from Prabath Jayasuriya, taken by a leaping de Silva at slip.

McBrine having been dismissed shortly before Campher and with two tailenders at the crease, Ireland shunned the declaration to pile on as many runs as possible on a pitch looking flatter by the session. By the time the final wicket fell - Matthew Humphrey’s for seven - Ireland had reached tantalizingly close to 500. Humphrey’s wicket also gave Jayasuriya a five-for in consolation for two days toiling in the field, finishing with figures of 5-174.

With a session left to bat in the day, Dimuth Karunaratne and Nishan Madushka set about their work relatively untroubled by the Ireland bowlers. They scored quickly, passing the fifty partnership in the 11th over of the innings before finishing the day closing in on 100.

The covers were brought on with around ten overs left in the day’s play as rain swept quickly across the ground curtailing Ireland’s day to remember. They lead by 411 runs going into day three.


MATCH SUMMARY

Sri Lanka v Ireland, Second Test match, Day Two, Galle International Stadium, Galle, 25 April 2023

Ireland 492 (145.3 overs; Curtis Campher 111, Paul Stirling 103; Prabath Jayasuriya 5-174)
Sri Lanka 81-0 (Nishan Madushka 41, Dimuth Karunaratne 39)
 
No real issues for Sri Lanka so far - Draw looking likely unless Ireland collapse in 2nd innings.

SL 136/0 (29.1) CRR: 4.66
 
Sri Lanka cruising at the moment and a real possibility now that Ireland will be under pressure in the 2nd innings

SL 346/1 (73) CRR: 4.74
Day 3: 2nd Session - Sri Lanka trail by 146 runs
 
IRE 492
SL 357/1 (77) CRR: 4.64
Day 3: Stumps - Sri Lanka trail by 135 runs


==

So as expected - SL in the driving seat now.
 
Sri Lankan skipper Dimuth Karunaratne compiled a century on day three in Galle to make his 16th Test hundred and second in the ongoing series against Ireland.

Karunaratne, who had made 179 in the first Test at the same venue last week, stitched a 228-run opening stand with Nishan Madushka and made his 16th Test hundred in the process.

The left-handed batter equalled the record for most Test hundreds as an opener among Sri Lankan players. He equalled Marvan Atapattu's record of 16 Test tons with this knock.

Besides Karunaratne and Atapattu, Sanath Jayasuriya (13 hundreds as opener) is the only Sri Lankan opener with more than ten Test hundreds.

Madushka, meanwhile, became the 19th Sri Lankan opener to notch up a Test hundred and is unbeaten on 149 when rain forced early stumps on day three.

Sri Lankan openers with most Test hundreds

Player Test hundreds as opener
Marvan Atapattu 16
Dimuth Karunaratne 16
Sanath Jayasuriya 13
Tillakaratne Dilshan 8
Michael Vandort 4

Karunaratne is Sri Lanka's fifth-highest run-getter in Test cricket with 6524 runs at an average of 41.29. No other Sri Lankan opener has more runs than him in the longest format of the game.

He was in good form in the ICC World Test Championship cycle for Sri Lanka, making 1054 runs at an average of 47.90 with two hundreds. He was the third-highest run-getter among openers in this cycle of the WTC. The skipper has carried that form into the bilateral series, making back-to-back Test hundreds.

At stumps on day three, Sri Lanka are trailing Ireland by 135 runs, but have lost just Karunaratne's wicket with Madushka unbeaten on 149 and Kusal Mendis (83*) closing in a Test hundred. Sri Lanka lead 1-0 in the two-match Test series.

ICC
 
GALLE, Sri Lanka - Ireland were made to toil hard by Sri Lanka on the third day at Galle, with Curtis Campher taking the only wicket to fall before rain brought about an early finish.

Ireland had built up an imposing total on the first two days, with Sri Lanka starting the day on 81-0, trailing by 411 runs. They quickly set about erasing the deficit, taking the attack to Ireland’s bowlers on a pitch which offered little assistance.

Both batters began the day just either side of 40, and Dimuth Karunaratne led the early charge. His first boundary came in aggressive style, slashing Campher’s first ball of the day hard over the cordon for four, and there was little let-up thereafter. His half-century came up in the fourth full over of the day off 61 balls, and his century took another 54 balls to arrive. The Sri Lanka captain now has 16 Test tons, drawing him level with Tillakaratne Dilshan and Marvan Atapattu, with only three batters - Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Aravinda de Silva - ahead of him among his countrymen.

Nishan Madushka, playing just his third Test, was more sedate, but showed his own shot-making prowess with the stroke that brought his own century, coming down the track to pump Harry Tector for the first six of the Sri Lankan innings. His hundred came off 159 balls.

The next over, however, Campher finally reaped the rewards of Ireland’s endeavor. A ball after being tickled fine for four, he extracted some extra bounce from the placid surface, beating Karunaratne’s pull and striking the home skipper on the helmet. Karunaratne passed the requisite concussion test, but fell two balls later, with another Campher bouncer taking the top edge and flying to Matthew Humphreys at fine leg.

The dismissal brought lunch but runs continued to flow after the interval. Ben White’s first over of the afternoon session contained three boundaries as Kusal Mendis picked up where his captain had left off. There was some pressure built in a five-over stretch containing two maidens and conceding just nine runs, Ben White beating Madushka’s attempted cut shot in the process, but Sri Lanka were able to gather steam once more.

There were further half-chances. White found Madushka’s inside-edge before a leading edge fell just short of mid-wicket, while Mendis survived a close run-out chance, Harry Tector aiming for the striker’s stumps and nailing a direct hit, but replays showing the batter was just in. A significant opportunity arrived in the over before drinks, with Madushka edging Andy McBrine - Ireland’s most economical bowler - to Andrew Balbirnie at slip, but the Ireland captain couldn’t cling on to a difficult chance.

That reprieve seemed to kick-start a counterattack from Mendis. He pulled White for his first six in the following over, before going to a 59-ball half-century with a glide through the off-side in the next over. Soon after, he smashed debutant Humphreys for three consecutive sixes as he moved up to a scoring rate of a run a ball. Madushka continued to tick along, ending the day on 149 before bad light and then a thunderstorm brought an early end to proceedings.

With two extended days left to play, Sri Lanka trail by 135 runs with nine wickets remaining in their first innings.


MATCH SUMMARY

Sri Lanka v Ireland, Second Test match, Day Three, Galle International Stadium, Galle, Sri Lanka, 26h April 2023

Ireland 492 (145.3 overs; Curtis Campher 111, Paul Stirling 103; Prabath Jayasuriya 5-174)
Sri Lanka 357-1 (77 overs; Nishan Madushka 149*, Dimuth Karunaratne 115; Curtis Campher 1-47)
 
SL plan probably to bat till Tea with a big lead and then go after Ireland - should be interesting to see how Ire play in their 2nd innings

IRE 492
SL 433/1 (98.3) CRR: 4.4
Day 4: 1st Session - Sri Lanka trail by 59 runs
 
SL in total control now

IRE 492
SL 553/2 (128) CRR: 4.32
Day 4: 2nd Session - Sri Lanka lead by 61 runs
 
Tough times ahead for Ire batters.

IRE 492
SL 704/3 d (151) CRR: 4.66
Day 4: Innings Break - Sri Lanka lead by 212 runs
 
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.

Sri Lanka started the day on 357-1, trailing Ireland by 135 runs. In hot conditions the Ireland bowlers searched in vain for a breakthrough in the morning session, with mistakes from the Sri Lanka batters few and far between.

The occasional aerial sweep looked the most likely path to a wicket, but on the rare occasion the shot was mishit the ball landed safely.

Kusal Mendis passed 150 from 193 balls with 10 fours and brought up the landmark with his eighth six. Shortly before lunch, Nishan Madushka reached 200 from 323 balls after making his maiden Test century on day three.

After the breakthrough, Andy McBrine finally broke the partnership worth 268 runs. Bowling from around the wicket to the right-handed Madushka, McBrine managed to rap the pads with one which was shown to be pitching on leg stump after a review from Ireland captain Andrew Balbirnie. The Sri Lanka opener ended on 205 from 339 balls, including 22 fours and a six.

The wicket brought a period of calm from the batters, as they looked to tick over and prevent more wickets from falling. But with the hosts needing some quick runs to give themselves enough time to have a chance of forcing a result, both batters began to take more risks and go over the top. Angelo Mathews had scored just 12 from his first 31 balls before unleashing a lofted shot down the ground for four off the bowling of Curtis Campher.

Campher’s next over saw Kusal step up his aggression too, hitting three fours and a six in the over. That maximum, the ninth of his innings, broke Kumar Sangakkara’s record for most sixes in an innings for Sri Lanka, but the 28-year-old was not interested in stopping there.

By the time Graham Hume removed Kusal, the batter had hit 11 sixes, the joint-second most by a batter in a Test innings. A good catch on the long on boundary by Matthew Humphreys completed the dismissal, which was Hume’s maiden Test wicket. Kusal finished with 245 runs from 291 balls.

Dinesh Chandimal came out looking to keep the momentum going for the hosts, but his innings ended prematurely when he injured his shoulder while diving to make his ground.

Sri Lanka finally declared their innings immediately after Mathews reached his century, with the score 704-3, and a first innings lead of 212. Mathews’ 100* came from 114 balls with six fours and four sixes.

Left with 22 overs to face in the day, Ireland lost an early wicket as bounce and turn from the off spin of Ramesh Mendis saw the ball deflect off the gloves of James McCollum on to the stumps as the opener tried to defend.

PJ Moor looked to follow the suit of Sri Lanka’s batters by taking the attack to the bowlers, and slammed a six apiece off the bowling of R Mendis and Prabath Jayasuriya, but the latter struck back to remove the Ireland No.3 for 19.

Balbirnie and Harry Tector safely made it to the end of the day’s play without further alarm, leaving the visitors still trailing by 158 runs on 54-2.


MATCH SUMMARY

Sri Lanka v Ireland, Second Test match, Day Four, Galle International Stadium, Galle, Sri Lanka, 27 April 2023

Ireland 492 (145.3 overs; Curtis Campher 111, Paul Stirling 103; Prabath Jayasuriya 5-174)
Sri Lanka 704-3 (151 overs; Kasul Mendis 245, Nishan Madushka 205, Dimuth Karunaratne 115; Graham Hume 1-87)
Ireland 54-2 (22 overs; PJ Moor 19; Prabath Jayasuriya 1-28)
 
As expected, Ireland in trouble


IRE 492 & 71/3 (32.2)
SL 704/3 d (151)
Day 5: 1st Session - Ireland trail by 141 runs
 
Ireland fighting but losing battle this

6 Down ...

SL 704/3 d
IRE 492 & 149/6 (60.3) CRR: 2.46
Day 5: 2nd Session - Ireland trail by 63 runs
 
Ireland fought hard through a battling innings from Harry Tector, but couldn’t prevent Sri Lanka securing a 2-0 Test series win.

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. However, they faced a battle for survival on the final day after Sri Lanka posted 704-3 in their first innings before losing two wickets late on the fourth evening.

The last morning began with Balbirnie and Tector in the middle and ended with them there too - but in between Ireland lost three wickets, with the captain retiring hurt early on before Stirling, Lorcan Tucker and Campher all fell.

Balbirnie was struck on the helmet by a bouncer from the fiery Asitha Fernando and left the field of play after receiving medical attention. Stirling attempted to counter-attack but picked out extra cover after backing away and driving Prabath Jayasuriya. The scalp meant the Sri Lanka left-arm spinner joined South Africa’s Vernon Philander as the fastest bowler since 1900 to reach 50 Test wickets, doing so in seven Tests.

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.

Ireland fans were heartened by the return of Balbirnie to the middle, and he and Tector took their side to lunch without further loss. However, not long after the interval Balbirnie had to depart. There was an air of bad luck about his dismissal too, somehow hitting the ball twice, with the toe-end floating to mid-off.

Ramesh Mendis then struck twice in quick succession. Andy McBrine made 10 before edging Ramesh Mendis to Dhananjaya de Silva at slip, while Graham Hume was undone by a beauty, which turned and forced a stroke, with the thinnest of grazes ending up in the keeper’s gloves.

Tector, the only middle-order batter to miss out on a significant score in the first innings, looked determined to make up in the second, and demonstrated plenty of heart and resolve, as well as a solid defensive technique, in bringing up a 159-ball half-century.

Even on the verge of the milestone, Tector put the team first, turning down a single to protect No.10 Matthew Humphreys when on 49. Humphreys then showed his batting prowess with a ramp over the slips for four in the next over, before drinks brought about another delay. One ball after the interval, Tector nudged the single to raise his fifty.

With Humphreys looking solid and the ball soft, Tector accelerated. Jayasuirya 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 to a marvellous century.

However, the game came to a close soon after. After pulling out of his stance late with sweat dripping into his eye, Tector was bowled by Fernando, extracting some reverse swing with the old ball, and the Sri Lanka quick hit the target again next ball, Ben White castled to confirm an Irish loss by an innings and 10 runs.

Despite defeat, Ireland will take plenty from the game, a significant improvement from the first Test. The result ends Ireland’s lengthy trip to Asia, which began in mid March and featured a multi-format tour of Bangladesh before this two-Test series. Ireland’s next engagement is against Bangladesh in early May, with a three-match Cricket World Cup Super League series taking place in Chelmsford.


MATCH SUMMARY

Sri Lanka v Ireland, Second Test match, Day Five, Galle International Stadium, Galle, 28 April 2023

Ireland 492 (145.3 overs; Curtis Campher 111, Paul Stirling 103; Prabath Jayasuriya 5-174)
Sri Lanka 704-3d (151 overs; Nishan Madushka 205, Kusal Mendis 245; Graham Hume 1-87)
Ireland 202 (77.3 overs; Harry Tector 85, Andrew Balbirnie 46; Ramesh Mendis 5-64)

Sri Lanka won by an innings and 10 runs
 
Last edited:
Expected a better fight from Ireland on Day 5.

They missed a great opportunity to draw the game.
 
704/3 is an insane total. The highest one we've seen in Tests since NZ's 715 in Feb 2019 against BD.
 
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