Sri Lanka v Ireland: Hosts win first Test by an innings and 280 runs

The result is Sri Lanka's biggest ever Test win and Ireland's heaviest defeat

Sri Lanka claimed a commanding victory on day three of their first Test against Ireland by an innings and 280 runs in Galle.

Sri Lanka achieved their largest victory ever and handed Ireland their most significant Test loss with the help of Prabath Jayasuriya's ten wickets. The team's captain, Dimuth Karunaratne, put in another impressive performance and was the highest run-scorer with 179 runs. Since 2018, Ireland has been unable to win any of their five Test series. Ireland captain Andrew Balbirnie stated that their team gained valuable experience from the test match. He expressed that although Sri Lanka at home is a formidable opponent, especially for a team with limited Test cricket exposure, they must find a way to compete better and take away key learnings from the game.

Sri Lanka seize early control

Electing to bat, Sri Lanka seized early control and amassed 591-6 before declaring their first innings at the Galle International Stadium. Karunaratne was one of four players to claim unbeaten hundreds alongside Kusal Mendis (140), Dinesh Chandimal (102) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (104). Ireland were out for 143 in their first innings after Lorcan Tucker's dismissal, with the 26-year-old ending on 45. Left-arm spinner Jayasuriya caused Ireland the most damage, claiming a career best 7-52. Made to follow on, Ireland managed 168 in their second innings, with Ramesh Mendis (4-76) and Jayasuriya (3-56) taking the bulk of the wickets. That reduced Ireland to 40-5 before lunch, but Harry Tector and Curtis Campher resisted with a 60-run stand.

Sri Lanka were a cut above Ireland, who have now lost all five matches in this form since being granted Test status in 2017

This was the second time in as many Tests that the pair have put on a half-century stand. The partnership was broken when Nishan Madushka pulled off a good reflex catch at short leg to dismiss Campher for 30 and give Ramesh Mendis his second wicket in the innings.

Mendis finished with four wickets on his 11th appearance, becoming the joint-fastest Sri Lankan to get 50 Test wickets alongside off-spinner Dilruwan Perera. Tector's promising innings was cut short when he pushed one to mid-off and hurried for a single, but there was no response from the non-striker. Midway down the pitch, he turned back, slipped and despite a dive couldn't save himself, departing for 42. Jayasuriya bagged another three scalps, including the final one to fall, trapping Ben White leg-before for one. The series was the first ever Test between Sri Lanka and Ireland. The sides face each other again on Monday at the same venue in the second Test. "(Ireland) are new to this format and they are still learning," said Karunaratne. "But I think they were really good and in future they will be a good team as well."