SL VS IRE - 1st Test, Ireland tour of Sri Lanka, 2023

So, that's it from our side. Sri Lanka go 1-0 up in the 2-match Test series and were truly clinical in this Test. Ireland have a lot of soul searching to do before they take the field for the next game. It's more about the mental aspect of the game and the more they play in spinning conditions, the better they will become. Join us for the 2nd and final Test on 24th April which will take place in Galle itself. Till then, goodbye and cheers!

Dimuth Karunaratne: Ireland are a very good team and they played well in Bangladesh. They will learn and be a good team in the future. The wicket looked dry in the first innings and we knew how to spin in these conditions. The fielding was very good. Madushka was too good. (On Jayasuriya) He knew what he had to do. He has patience and he knows where to hit the areas. I just give him the ball and he does the rest.

Andrew Balbirnie: I think it is another Test match under our belt, it was a tough game for us. Sri Lanka are always a tough side to beat at home and we just found that out but this will give us some much needed experience for sure. A lot of our focus in the last few years has been white-ball so we need to play more and more red-ball to gain that experience. We have to make the transition from white to red ball cricket smaller. The more we play this format, the better the transition will be.

Prabath Jayasuriya | Man of the Match: I always try to give my hundred percent and I try to do my basic things, and also bowl wicket-to-wicket. This was a similar wicket to the matches we played against Pakistan and Australia. There is some drift because there is wind so I try to use that.

In reply, Vishwa Fernando nipped out Commins and Balbirnie in the second over. Tector and McCollum showed some resistance but it was soon broken by Jayasuriya. He weaved his magic as he extracted turn and grip from the Galle surface and ran through the opposition, taking a 7-wicket haul in the process. Tucker played a decent knock but couldn't convert it into a big one. Ireland were bowled out for 143 and were asked to follow-on when they were trailing by 448 runs. They were reduced to 40/5 but Tector and Campher did put up a fight but the latter's stay was ended by a sharp reflex catch from Madushka. Tector also threw his wicket away in search of a non-existent run and then it was just a matter of time before the Lankans wrapped up the visitors for the second time. Mendis shone with the ball as he took a 4-fer and Jayasuriya took a 3-fer to accumulate a 10-wicket haul in this game.

15:35 Local Time, 10:05 GMT, 15:35 IST: 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 Sri Lanka's 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 inconsistent with their lines and lengths and they paid the price for it.

P Jayasuriya to Benjamin White, out Lbw!! That's it! An overwhelming victory for Sri Lanka! And fittingly, it’s Jayasuriya who has finished the game off. Drifting in nicely as it pitches on middle and turns ever so slightly to go past the defensive blade of Benjamin White to strike him on the back leg. The Sri Lankans appeal in unison and up goes the umpire's finger. Benjamin White takes the DRS. However, Ball Tracking shows three reds and that's the end of Ireland. Benjamin White lbw b P Jayasuriya 1(2)

P Jayasuriya to Benjamin White, THATS OUT!! Lbw!!

White has been given out lbw but he take the review. Looks like he is a goner as that was quite adjacent

Ramesh Mendis to Benjamin White, 1 run, quicker one around off, Benjamin White looks to defend it tentatively but gets a thik inside edge. Just away from the reach of Madushka at short leg

Benjamin White, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Ramesh Mendis to Dockrell, out Lbw!! Ramesh Mendis gets a 4-fer! Tossed up ball around off, turning in. Dockrell prods ahead to defend but misses to be rapped in front. A loud appeal follows and umpire Dharmasena rules it out after taking his time. Dockrell takes the review. The replay shows three reds and Dockrell is a dead duck. The resistance has ended. Sri Lanka just one wicket away now. Dockrell lbw b Ramesh Mendis 32(54) [4s-6]

Ramesh Mendis to Dockrell, THATS OUT!! Lbw!!

Dockrell has been adjudged lbw but he has challenged the decision. Looks adjacent to the naked eye

Ramesh Mendis to Mark Adair, 1 run, Mark Adair uses his feet and mistimes his expansive shot to mid-off

Ramesh Mendis to Mark Adair, no run, quicker one on leg, spinning down, left alone

Ramesh Mendis to Dockrell, 1 run, fraction short, turned away to deep square leg

Ramesh Mendis to Mark Adair, 1 run, on a length, tucked away with the spin to deep mid-wicket

P Jayasuriya to Dockrell, no run, tossed up ball on off, Dockrell comes ahead to defend but gets an outside edge that falls short of Mendis at second slip

P Jayasuriya to Dockrell, FOUR, tossed up full ball on off, Dockrell hammers it towards mid-off. Has hit it well wide of Karunaratne and the ball races to the fence