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GALLE, Sri Lanka – Ireland’s bowlers struggled to take wickets in sapping conditions on day four in Galle, as Sri Lanka mounted 704-3 declared, led by Kusal Mendis’ 245, before the hosts claimed two early wickets to help set up an intriguing fifth day as Ireland fight to save a draw.

Sri Lanka started the day on 357-1, trailing Ireland by 135 runs. In hot conditions the Ireland bowlers searched in vain for a breakthrough in the morning session, with mistakes from the Sri Lanka batters few and far between.

The occasional aerial sweep looked the most likely path to a wicket, but on the rare occasion the shot was mishit the ball landed safely.

Kusal Mendis passed 150 from 193 balls with 10 fours and brought up the landmark with his eighth six. Shortly before lunch, Nishan Madushka reached 200 from 323 balls after making his maiden Test century on day three.

After the breakthrough, Andy McBrine finally broke the partnership worth 268 runs. Bowling from around the wicket to the right-handed Madushka, McBrine managed to rap the pads with one which was shown to be pitching on leg stump after a review from Ireland captain Andrew Balbirnie. The Sri Lanka opener ended on 205 from 339 balls, including 22 fours and a six.

The wicket brought a period of calm from the batters, as they looked to tick over and prevent more wickets from falling. But with the hosts needing some quick runs to give themselves enough time to have a chance of forcing a result, both batters began to take more risks and go over the top. Angelo Mathews had scored just 12 from his first 31 balls before unleashing a lofted shot down the ground for four off the bowling of Curtis Campher.

Campher’s next over saw Kusal step up his aggression too, hitting three fours and a six in the over. That maximum, the ninth of his innings, broke Kumar Sangakkara’s record for most sixes in an innings for Sri Lanka, but the 28-year-old was not interested in stopping there.

By the time Graham Hume removed Kusal, the batter had hit 11 sixes, the joint-second most by a batter in a Test innings. A good catch on the long on boundary by Matthew Humphreys completed the dismissal, which was Hume’s maiden Test wicket. Kusal finished with 245 runs from 291 balls.

Dinesh Chandimal came out looking to keep the momentum going for the hosts, but his innings ended prematurely when he injured his shoulder while diving to make his ground.

Sri Lanka finally declared their innings immediately after Mathews reached his century, with the score 704-3, and a first innings lead of 212. Mathews’ 100* came from 114 balls with six fours and four sixes.

Left with 22 overs to face in the day, Ireland lost an early wicket as bounce and turn from the off spin of Ramesh Mendis saw the ball deflect off the gloves of James McCollum on to the stumps as the opener tried to defend.

PJ Moor looked to follow the suit of Sri Lanka’s batters by taking the attack to the bowlers, and slammed a six apiece off the bowling of R Mendis and Prabath Jayasuriya, but the latter struck back to remove the Ireland No.3 for 19.

Balbirnie and Harry Tector safely made it to the end of the day’s play without further alarm, leaving the visitors still trailing by 158 runs on 54-2.

MATCH SUMMARY

Sri Lanka v Ireland, Second Test match, Day Four, Galle International Stadium, Galle, Sri Lanka, 27 April 2023

Ireland 492 (145.3 overs; Curtis Campher 111, Paul Stirling 103; Prabath Jayasuriya 5-174)
Sri Lanka 704-3 (151 overs; Kasul Mendis 245, Nishan Madushka 205, Dimuth Karunaratne 115; Graham Hume 1-87)
Ireland 54-2 (22 overs; PJ Moor 19; Prabath Jayasuriya 1-28)

See full scorecard