GALLE (AP): Sri Lanka defeated Ireland by an innings and 280 runs inside three days of the first test and recorded its biggest victory margin on Tuesday.
Ireland lost 13 wickets on the day to be all out for 143 and 168 in reply to Sri Lanka’s 591-6 declared.
Slow left-armer Prabath Jayasuriya led the Sri Lankans with a 10-wicket haul, taking the last wicket of the match when he trapped Ben White for 1 soon after tea.
Jayasuriya took 3-56 in the second innings after a career-best 7-52 in the first.
Spin bowling partner Ramesh Mendis had the best figures in the second innings of 4-76 and a match haul of five wickets. Mendis equalled Dilruwan Perera in becoming the fastest Sri Lankan to 50 test wickets in 11 matches.
Seamer Vishwa Fernando took the other four Irish wickets, including opener Murray Commins for a pair. The win surpassed Sri Lanka’s previous highest victory margin of an innings and 254 runs against Zimbabwe in 2004.
Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne said the Irish had the bowling quality but their inexperience showed in their bowling lengths, and the field placings were more alike to limited-overs cricket, which made it easier for his batters to score.
The home innings was built on centuries by Karunaratne (179), Kusal Mendis (140), Dinesh Chandimal (102) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (104). Ireland began day three on 117-7 and lost its last three wickets all on 143. Lorcan Tucker made a team-high 45 when he tried to sweep Jayasuriya and missed. Mark Adair was stumped off Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis finished the innings.
Forced to follow on 448 runs in arrears, Ireland was 41-5 by lunch. While the bowlers were pinning down Ireland, Nishan Madushka was also outstanding in the field. His sharp low grab at short leg removed Peter Moor minutes before lunch, and his anticipation of a paddle sweep ended the 60-run resistance between Curtis Campher and Harry Tector.
Tector was dismissed shortly after, run out for 42 after slipping while trying to return to his crease and losing his bat. Ireland was 108-7 and lasted 15 more overs.
Ireland played only its fifth test, and was involved in its first test series. The second and last test starts at the same venue on Monday.
“Sri Lanka at home are a daunting prospect for any team, never mind a team that haven’t played a lot of test cricket,” Ireland captain Andrew Balbirnie said.
“There are learnings. We’ve got to find a way to compete better and more consistently. “We had one test (in Bangladesh two weeks ago) which prepared us for this one, but it’s still probably not enough preparation.”
