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Ireland’s Curtis Campher and Paul Stirling took advantage of batting friendly conditions at Galle to score their maiden Test tons and post their highest innings total of 492 against Sri Lanka before hosts scored 81 runs in reply without losing a wicket.
From an overnight score of 319/4, Ireland suffered a blow in the first over the day itself. Asitha Fernando got the wicket of Lorcan Tucker. He scored 80 runs from 106 deliveries including 10 fours. Stirling who got retired out on Day 1, returned to bat. After few overs, runs started flowing. Campher got to his half-century with a slogsweep for a six against Prabath Jayasuriya. In the next over, Stirling hit Asitha for a six over covers to become first Ireland batter to hit a century in all three formats.
Stirling did not convert it into a big hundred. In his next over, Asitha bowled a short one and Stirling got caught trying to go for a pull shot. He scored 103 runs from 181 balls including nine fours and four sixes. After the end of first session, Ireland were 399/6.
In the second session, Andy McBrine did not hold himself back either. Campher got to his century with a boundary off Asitha. He took 209 deliveries to reach his maiden Test ton. Vishwa Fernando broke the seventh-wicket partnership. Mcbrine sliced it off the back foot but got caught by substitute fielder at backward point. He scored 35 runs from 59 balls in the 89-run partnership.
Jayasuriya got the reward for his persistence as well. Campher was lured into a drive and got caught by Dhananjaya de Silva at slip. Campher scored 11 runs from 229 balls including 15 fours and two sixes. Jayasuriya mopped up the tail as Ireland got all out for 492. He registered his career's sixth fifer.
The score of 492 is Ireland’s highest score. Their previous highest of 339 came against Pakistan in 2018 at Dublin.
In reply, Sri Lanka got off to a good start. Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne (39) and rookie opener Nishan Madhushka (41) shared an unbeaten 81-run stand before bad light stopped play. They still trail by 411 runs.
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