Sri Lanka beat Ireland in second Test: Key stats
Sri Lanka won the second and final Test against Ireland by an innings and 10 runs, whitewashing the series 2-0. It was indeed an emphatic performance from the hosts as the Irish team posted 492 while batting first. As many as six centuries were recorded in the contest, four by SL batters and two by Ireland players. Here are the key stats.
How did the game pan out?
Ireland posted a mammoth 492 after electing to bat first at the Galle International Stadium. Skipper Andrew Balbirnie, Paul Stirling, and Curtis Campher starred for them. Prabath Jayasuriya claimed a fifer. In reply, SL declared at 704/3 with Nishan Madushka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, and Angelo Mathews recording tons. The visitors were folded for 202 in their second outing thanks to Ramesh Mendis's fifer.
Maiden hundred for Stirling
Veteran Ireland batter Stirling registered his maiden Test century in the first innings, 103 off 181 balls. The batter could not do much in his second outing, managing a five-ball one. He has amassed 208 runs in four Test matches at an average of 26. Notably, this was his maiden fifty-plus score in the format.
Balbirnie becomes Ireland's highest run-getter
Ireland skipper Andrew Balbirnie scored a 163-ball 95 in his first outing and followed it up with a 101-ball 46. He got retired out in his second outing due to an injury. While Balbirnie struck his third Test fifty in the contest, he is now Ireland's highest run-getter in Tests with 316 runs in six Tests at 26.33.
Century for Campher, Tucker shines
Campher also smoked his maiden Test hundred, 111 off 229 deliveries. He also took a wicket in the contest 1/101. Campher has now raced to 188 runs in three Tests at 31.33. Wicketkeeper Loran Tucker recorded scores of 80 (106) and 13 (23) in the contest. The youngster now owns 289 runs in three Tests at 48.17 (100: 1, 50: 1).
Prabath Jayasuriya claims a fifer
Prabath Jayasuriya was the pick of the Lankan bowlers in the first innings, claiming 5/174. The left-arm spinner, who returned with 2/88 in the second innings, became the joint-second-fastest bowler to claim 50 Test wickets, accomplishing the feat in seven games. He owns exactly 50 Test wickets at 23.70. The tally includes six fifers and a couple of 10-wicket hauls.
Highest-ever total for Ireland in Test cricket
Ireland created history by scoring 492 in the first innings against Sri Lanka in Galle. This is their highest-ever total in Test cricket. 339 was their previous highest which came against Pakistan in Malahide back in 2018. Kevin O'Brien slammed a ton in that match.
16th Test century for Dimuth Karunaratne
SL skipper Karunaratne, who smashed a positive 179 in the first match, replied with another triple-digit score. He batted aggressively and scored 115 off just 133 balls, his 16th Test ton. This was his 11th century at home and a second one versus Ireland. Karunaratne has now raced to 6,524 runs in 86 Tests at 41.29 (100s: 16, 50s: 34).
Double ton for Nishan Madushka
Karunaratne's opening partner Nishan Madushka scored 205 off 339 balls. He became the first batter to slam a double-ton versus Ireland. Madushka also became only the second SL batter after Brendon Kuruppu (201* vs New Zealand, 1987) to convert his maiden Test ton into a double ton. Madushka has 292 runs at 73.00 in three Tests. This was his maiden fifty-plus score in Tests.
Historic feat for Kusal Mendis
Like Madushka, Mendis also smoked his maiden Test double-ton (245 from 291 balls). Two of Mendis's nine Test tons have come against Ireland. Mendis, who stood in his 58th Test, has now raced to 3,938 runs at 37.50. His double-hundred was laced with 11 maximums, most by an SL batter in a Test inning. Pakistan's Wasim Akram holds the world record (12).
Hundred for Mathews
Mathews was the fourth centurion of SL's first innings as he scored an unbeaten 100 off 114 balls. Mathews has now raced to 7,218 runs in 104 Tests at an impressive 45.39. He hammered his 15th ton. At home, Mathews now has 3,740 runs at 44.00 (100s: 6). For SL, only Kumar Sangakkara (12,400) and Mahela Jayawardene (11,814) have more Test runs.
Fifer for Mendis
While Ramesh Mendis had to settle for 1/108 in Ireland's first innings, he brought out his A-game in his second outing and recorded a fifer, 5/64. The 27-year-old spinner has raced to 57 wickets in 12 Test matches at 27.96 (5W: 4).
Do you know?
492 is now the highest team total against Sri Lanka in a losing cause. The previous highest score in this regard was 451 by Pakistan back in August 2014. Sangakkara starred with a double-ton (221) as the Lankans won that game by seven wickets.
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