Mendis, Madushka double-tons give Sri Lanka an opportunity to push for victory

Ireland 492 and 54 for two (Moor 19, Balbirnie 18*, Ramesh 1-17) path Sri Lanka 704 for 3 dec (Kusal 245, Madushka 205, Mathews 100*, Hume 1-87) by 158 runs

Day 4 was the day by which Sri Lanka put themselves able to push laborious for victory, in a match by which Ireland might need hoped they’d made themselves secure, with a first-innings rating of 492. On day 5, Ireland will begin two wickets down, with 159 nonetheless to get to make Sri Lanka bat once more.

As the hosts racked up a gargantuan 704 for 3 declared, giving themselves a lead of 212, main batting milestones had been reached, clearly. Here are probably the most salient amongst them:

– Through the course of this fast innings, Mendis additionally struck 11 sixes – a file for Sri Lanka, beating the eight sixes Kumar Sangakkara had hit in opposition to Bangladesh in 2014.

At the crease at stumps had been captain Andy Balbirnie, who had hit a tone-setting 95 within the first innings, and Harry Tector, who had batted properly within the first Test. Ireland’s center order had been glorious within the first innings. But can they do it on a fifth day floor, having toiled 151 overs within the subject within the first innings? Either method, they had been 54 for two by stumps.

All up, Sri Lanka maintained a run charge of 4.68 throughout the 74 overs they confronted on day 4. Madushka received to his 150 off the third ball of the day, then lower his subsequent ball for 4 – one in every of his favorite scoring strokes. He and Mendis warmed up for just a few overs, however by halfway by means of the morning, Mendis had introduced his ninth Test hundred up off 131 deliveries (he’d began the day on 83), and Madushka was marching in direction of a double.

Knowing a declaration was in all probability coming, even whereas Sri Lanka had been nonetheless in arrears, Mendis warmed up for a six-hitting spree with a strike over deep midwicket, off a Ben White half-tracker. The pair largely relied on frequent runs into the outfield to maintain the run-rate brisk, nonetheless. Madushka reached his double-hundred off the penultimate over of the morning session, indulging in solely measured celebrations. Soon after lunch, he was lbw to Andy McBrine, who reviewed a not out resolution efficiently.

In Mathews’ firm, Mendis began to free his shoulders, the sixes coming quick now that Sri Lanka had moved into the lead. All however one in every of his large hits came visiting deep midwicket, the one outlier crusing into the sightscreen, off the bowling of White. Mostly these had been pull photographs, however some had been slog sweeps. All informed, Mendis scored 133 of his runs within the arc between backward sq. leg and cow nook.

Mathews struck enormous legside blows too, however early in his innings, let Mendis make the massive strikes. He settled right into a rhythm, picked off the singles, and waited for the really unhealthy balls to place away. Mendis, who had twice beforehand fallen making an attempt to get to his double-hundred with sixes, received to the milestone with a single behind sq. leg this time, off the 263rd supply he confronted. He continued to assault after that, and when he fell, Mathews picked up the scoring charge.

Sri Lanka’s solely worrying second on day 4 was when Chandimal dived into his crease after being turned again for an ill-advised single, and basically didn’t rise up, so critically did he seem to have damage his shoulder. He hobbled off the sphere, and was not seen thereafter. Mathews raced to his century, and Sri Lanka declared.

Ireland’s bowlers simply could not discover a approach to construct strain. Andy McBrine bowled a herculean 57 overs, and had the figures of 1 for 191 to indicate for it. Legspinner White bowled solely 37 overs, however went at virtually six, and conceded 203 for no wicket. Curtis Campher conceded 101 as nicely, and debutant Matthew Humphreys was used just for two overs on day 4.