1st Test: Karunaratne, Mendis centuries help Sri Lanka take charge despite late wickets from Ireland

Galle: Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis scored centuries as Sri Lanka piled on 386/4 at stumps on day one of first Test against Ireland at the Galle International Cricket Stadium, here on Sunday.

The 281-run partnership for the second wicket between Karunaratne, who made 179 and Mendis, who struck 140, was the nucleus of Sri Lanka taking charge though Ireland fought back with two late scalps at the end of the day.

At the fag end of the day’s play, Mendis and then Angelo Mathews fell within three overs of each other. Mathews only lasted three balls before taking a wild swipe at a delivery from Ben White, out for his fifth Test match duck.

Earlier, Sri Lanka had started positively early in the day, racing to 40 after the first ten overs of the Test. With minimal assistance in the pitch for the seamers, Mark Adair was into the attack early in the day but gave little respite for the Ireland fielders, as Karunaratne took two boundaries off his first over.

As the scoring rate continued to increase, Ireland found a much-needed breakthrough in the first hour. Curtis Campher took his first Test wicket with a ripper of a delivery, just nipping away from off-stump line to take the outside edge of Nishan Madushka’s bat through to Lorcan Tucker behind the stumps.

However, that was to be the last wicket for over two sessions worth of play. Karunaratne reached his half-century before lunch off 69 balls, with Mendis going into the break on 33 as 119 runs were scored in the morning session.

The start of the middle session was particularly bruising for Ireland as Mendis hit the first maximum of the day, smashing Andy McBrine high over long-on to bring up his half-century. The hundred partnership came up two overs later.

As Ireland toiled without success, the run rate crept again and, less than two overs after the partnership passed the 150 milestone, Karunaratne reached his hundred with a front-foot drive through cover, smashing his first Test century since March last year against India in Bengaluru.

Mendis was also closing in on his century but would have to wait until after the interval to pass three figures. Between them, Mendis and Karunaratne scored 126 runs off 28 overs in the afternoon session. He reached the milestone with a single to backward point, having ramped Adair for four off the previous delivery.

The two batters continued their march deep into the evening session, bringing up the 200-run stand by taking ten runs of a McBrine over. Just as Ireland faced the realistic possibility of taking just one wicket in the day, George Dockrell made the breakthrough, by trapping Mendis lbw while going for the sweep.

Two overs later, Ireland had their third wicket as Mathews chased a short and wide delivery from Ben White, the ball taking a feather from his top edge and through to the keeper. Karunaratne’s extraordinary innings also came to an end before the close of play. caught behind for 179, by fishing his bat outside off and giving a nick behind.

Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 386/4 in 88 overs (Dimuth Karunaratne 179, Kusal Mendis 140; Curtis Campher 1/44) against Ireland

–IANS