Prabath’s heroics help SL to a massive win against Ireland

Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya picked up his second ten-wicket haul in a Test match as Sri Lanka defeated Ireland by an innings and 280 runs in the first Test here on Tuesday. Unbeaten hundreds from Dinesh Chandimal (102*) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (104*) after Dimuth Karunaratne (179) and Kusal Mendis’ (140) massive knocks had given Sri Lanka a big total of 591/6 declared on Day Two. Prabath Jayasuriya then went on to dominate the Ireland batters, taking a five-wicket haul on day two and ending with a seven-fer (7-52) in the innings. Bowled out for 143, Ireland couldn’t do much better following on, finishing on 168 with Harry Tector, Curtis Campher and George Dockrell getting starts. In the second innings on Tuesday, Jayasuriya claimed 3-56 in 24.1 overs. Ramesh Mendis was the wrecker-in-chief in the second innings, claiming 4-76 in 20 overs while Vishwa Fernando claimed 2-3 in four overs. For Ireland, Harry Tector top scored with 42 off 95 balls while George Dockrell scored 32 off 54 and Curtis Campher contributed 30 off 76 deliveries. The innings and 280-run victory give Sri Lanka a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series. Prabath Jayasuriya took the honours in the bowing department. In six Tests thus far, Jayasuriya has five five-wicket hauls in an innings and two match hauls of 10 wickets or more. The left-arm spinner, who won the Player of the Match award, finished with figures of 10/108. He has already raced to 43 Test wickets, 39 of those coming in Galle alone, where he has now played four Tests and taken five five-wicket hauls. His tally of 43 wickets after six Tests is the joint-third-best in Test cricket history. Only Charles Turner (50) and Vernon Philander (45) have more after the first six Tests. The second and final Test begins in Galle on April 24.