Twitter Reactions: Centurions Paul Stirling and Curtis Campher steer Ireland towards humongous total on Day 2
Stirling got 103 runs whereas Curtis Campher concluded with 111 runs.
Courtesy of scintillating tons by Paul Stirling and Curtis Campher, Ireland extended their domination against Sri Lanka on Day 2 of the ongoing Galle Test and registered 492 runs in their first innings. This is also Ireland's highest-ever Test score as they whizzed past their previous best of 339 that they had scored versus Pakistan at Malahide. Ireland kickstarted Day 2 with a score of 319/4 with Campher and Lorcan Tucker on the crease.
Sri Lanka struck the first blow of the day as Vishwa Fernando got the vital scalp of Tucker, who was sent packing for 80 off 106 balls. Paul Stirling took the field after he had retired hurt due to cramps on an unbeaten score of 74 on Day 1.
The duo of Stirling and Campher combined caution with aggression and kept the visiting team steady in the contest, on course for a massive first innings total. Soon after the drinks session, the two batters raised 50 runs in 87 balls between them but slowed down a bit, playing delicately prior to Lunch.
Stirling did a terrific job with the bat and notched up his century off 174 balls with nine fours and four maximums to his name. However, his outstanding knock came to a screeching halt when he holed out to Dhananjaya de Silva at the fine leg boundary for a score of 103 off 181 balls.
Soon after his dismissal, Campher continued to carve out a brilliant innings and took the Irish side to 452/6. With 14 boundaries and two maximums, Campher notched up his first century for Ireland in the red-ball format.
He also raised an impressive 89-run stand with Andy McBrine, who joined him down the order. However, Prabath Jayasuriya who once again was the most menacing among the bowling unit, got the prized scalp of Campher (111 runs off 229 balls).
Impressively, the 31-year-old spinner returned a five-wicket haul in his 58.3 overs. With a strong performance by the visitors, it remains to be seen if theIR bowling department can extend the domination in the second innings.
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