Nishan Madushka and Kusal Mendis have transformed centuries into maiden double tons by thumping the Ireland bowlers as Sri Lanka sustained management of the second Test.
At stumps on day 4, Ireland had been 54 for the lack of openers James McCollum (10) and Peter Moor (19) and nonetheless 159 runs from making Sri Lanka bat once more.
McCollum was brilliantly bowled by offspinner Ramesh Mendis and Moor was dismissed when Angelo Mathews held an excellent low catch at brief further cowl.
Sri Lanka had been pushing for a a hundredth Test win and a collection sweep with the good thing about house benefit and a fifth-day pitch.
Propelled by Madushka’s 205 and Mendis’ 245, Sri Lanka declared their first innings on 3-705 – a brand new floor report – instantly after Mathews notched his fifteenth and quickest century.
The earlier highest complete at Galle was 638 by Bangladesh in 2013.
Mathews was unbeaten on 100 off 114 balls after hitting 4 sixes and 6 boundaries. Dhananjaya de Silva, who changed an injured Dinesh Chandimal, was 12 not out.
Sri Lanka began the day on 1-357, nonetheless 135 runs behind Ireland’s first innings complete of 492, and batted with full management.
The first session noticed Mendis attain his ninth Test century, and his second in a row in opposition to the Irish.
Mendis and Madushka added 132 runs on the morning of day 4 and 7 runs after lunch earlier than Andy McBrine ended their stand by eradicating Madushka.
The Madushka-Mendis stand was price 268 runs and Madushka hit 22 boundaries and one six in his practically eight-hour vigil.
The Irish ought to have had a 3rd wicket quickly after however James McCollum dropped Mathews at midwicket off Graham Hume when he was on one.
While Madushka performed a composed innings, Mendis batted ruthlessly, hitting 11 sixes, one in need of the world report by Pakistan nice Wasim Akram in opposition to Zimbabwe, and 17 fours.
Mendis surpassed the earlier highest variety of sixes by a Sri Lankan – Kumar Sangakkara’s eight in opposition to Bangladesh in 2014 – and was out at lengthy off going for a twelfth six.
Mendis stitched 133 runs for the third wicket with Mathews, who was joyful to proceed piling up fast runs.
Chandimal was batting on 13 when he injured his proper shoulder following a tough touchdown whereas diving to the crease. He was taken to hospital for an X-ray.
This is the primary time 4 Sri Lanka batters scored centuries in the identical innings, and solely the third time in Test historical past after India and Pakistan. Beside Madushka, Mendis, and Mathews, skipper Dimuth Karunaratne made 115 on day three.
The Irish bowlers had been made to toil on an unresponsive pitch the place Graham Hume (1-87), Andy McBrine (1-191), and Curtis Campher (1-101) shared the wickets.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
