SL vs IRE: Sri Lanka thrash Ireland in Galle despite Harry Tector's tenacious knock

Ireland had put up a record-breaking performance in the first innings, crossing 400 for the first time in Test cricket, with Paul Stirling and Curtis Campher both making hundreds. However, they faced a battle for survival on the final day after Sri Lanka posted 704-3 in their first innings before losing two wickets late on the fourth evening.

The last morning began with Balbirnie and Tector in the middle and ended with them there too - but in between, Ireland lost three wickets, with the captain retiring hurt early on before Stirling, Lorcan Tucker and Campher all fell.

 Balbirnie was struck on the helmet by a bouncer from the fiery Asitha Fernando and left the field of play after receiving medical attention. Stirling attempted to counter-attack but picked out extra cover after backing away and driving Prabath Jayasuriya. The scalp meant the Sri Lanka left-arm spinner joined South Africa’s Vernon Philander as the fastest bowler since 1900 to reach 50 Test wickets, doing so in seven Tests.

Tucker and Campher each made starts, but neither could match their substantial contributions in the first innings. Tucker’s dismissal was unfortunate, a Fernando bouncer rising up off his body before bouncing and trickling back onto the stumps. Campher fell sweeping, attempting an attacking stroke to disturb the close-in fielders, but instead gloved to leg slip.

Ireland fans were heartened by the return of Balbirnie to the middle, and he and Tector took their side to lunch without further loss. However, not long after the interval, Balbirnie had to depart. There was an air of bad luck about his dismissal, too, somehow hitting the ball twice, with the toe-end floating to mid-off.

Ramesh Mendis then struck twice in quick succession. Andy McBrine made 10 before edging Ramesh Mendis to Dhananjaya de Silva at slip, while Graham Hume was undone by a beauty, which turned and forced a stroke, with the thinnest of grazes ending up in the keeper’s gloves.

 Tector, the only middle-order batter to miss out on a significant score in the first innings, looked determined to make up in the second and demonstrated plenty of heart and resolve, as well as a solid defensive technique, in bringing up a 159-ball half-century.

 Even on the verge of the milestone, Tector put the team first, turning down a single to protect No.10 Matthew Humphreys when on 49. Humphreys then showed his batting prowess with a ramp over the slips for four in the next over before drinks brought about another delay. One ball after the interval, Tector nudged the single to raise his fifty.

With Humphreys looking solid and the ball soft, Tector accelerated. Jayasuirya was smashed twice through the off-side for four before being lofted for six, while Mendis was slog-swept twice in successive balls for six and four, Tector playing with the spin in style. Fernando was then pulled for six as Ireland inched close to taking the lead, and Tector to a marvellous century.

 However, the game came to a close soon after. After pulling out of his stance late with sweat dripping into his eye, Tector was bowled by Fernando, extracting some reverse swing with the old ball, and the Sri Lanka quick hit the target again next ball, Ben White castled to confirm an Irish loss by an innings and 10 runs.

Despite defeat, Ireland will take plenty from the game, a significant improvement from the first Test. The result ends Ireland’s lengthy trip to Asia, which began in mid March and featured a multi-format tour of Bangladesh before this two-Test series. Ireland’s next engagement is against Bangladesh in early May, with a three-match Cricket World Cup Super League series taking place in Chelmsford.