2nd Test, Galle, April 24, 2023, 10:00 AM
Ireland
492/10(145.3ov) & 202/10(77.3ov)
Sri Lanka
704/3(151.0ov)
Sri Lanka beat Ireland by an innings and 10 runs
Best Batsmen
R
B
4S
6S
SR
Best Bowler
O
R
W
Econ
Man of the Match
Prabath Jayasuriya
Commentry
That is it from this game! The trophy is handed over to Dimuth Karunaratne as Sri Lanka whitewash the Irish team. That concludes this series. Hope you enjoyed the coverage. It is goodbye for now.
Dimuth Karunaratne says it was a different kind of pitch than the first one but he is happy with how his bowlers bowled. Adds he was hopeful to get more than 500 and a good start was needed while batting and is very happy how they batted. Feels this will help their players to do well in the next series. Mentions he asked his bowlers to give their best and they all bowled really well.
Andy Balbirnie says he is fine. Applauds the performance of Harry Tector. they need to improve game after game in this format. Hopes to put on a good show in their next series. Tells it is a lovely place to play cricket and feels the crowd was entertained enough in the game.
Kusal Mendis wins the Player of the Series award.
Prabath Jayasuriya is the Player of the Match. He says this was a different wicket compared to the first game, was a batter friendly wicket. He adds patience is very important on this kind of pitch and informs his shoulder is good.
Presentation next...
Ireland lost two in the final phase of Day 4 while in the morning, Andy Balbirnie and Harry Tector showed great determination despite taking some lusty blows. However, there was not much support from others and as a result Ireland failed to hold their wickets. Sri Lankan bowlers were just brilliant. There was not much turn but some disciplined bowling from Ramesh Mendis helped im take a five-fer. Asitha Fernando too bowled some fiery spells in-between to keep the pressure on.
There was a time when the rain took out around a session and it looked like the draw is the most probable result but the way home team batted, they wanted more than just a draw. Sri Lanka got a lead of more than 200 and had around 4 sessions to take all Irish wickets.
A match where batters dominated. Ireland won the toss and batted first. Centuries from Paul Stirling and Curtis Campher along with knocks from Andy Balbirnie and Lorcan Tucker helped them get a score around 500. Sri Lanka though came out with intent, the skipper in particular who put up an opening stand of 228. There were double-centuries from Kusal Mendis and Nishan Madushka while centuries from Dimuth Karunaratne and Angelo Mathews as this time Sri Lanka who put a massive total of 700.
Not the typical win for Sri Lanka as they had to work hard. This was not an easy pitch to get wickets but the Lanka bowlers were up for the task. They had to take 10 wickets to win and took 8 wickets on the final day to clean sweep the series. Harry Tector though was standing like a wall and not giving up but the lone warrior fell the pressure and got out eventually.
In over# 78
0W
0W
0
Asitha Fernando 30/3(11.3)
77.3
W
OUT! TIMBER! Done and dusted! This is full and reverse swings it on leg. White is late to flick it away and gets hit on the pads. It deflects and hits the stumps behind. Sri Lanka win by an innings and 10 runs.
77.2
W
OUT! BOWLED! Asitha Fernando is pumped up! Absolutely pumped up! They have finally got rid of Tector! A yorker, this one swings in on middle. Tector is late to get his bat down as he tries to squeeze it away but misses and it goes through and hits the stumps. Ireland still trail by 10 runs.
77.1
.
A yorker on leg. Tector looks to whip it away but gets hit on the pads.
In over# 77
0
0
0
0
0
0
Prabath Jayasuriya 88/2(32)
76.6
.
Flat and on middle, blocked.
76.5
.
On off, kept out.
76.4
.
Flat and on middle. Humphreys splices his defense to point.
76.3
.
Too full and on off, Humphreys jams it out to cover.