Sri Lankan cricketers celebrate after defeating Ireland on the third day (April 18, 2023) of the 1st Test in Galle, Sri Lanka. Photo: Twitter/@cricketireland
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.
Ireland is playing only its fifth test, and involved in its first Test series. The second and last test starts at the same venue on Monday (April 24).
