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Sri Lanka’s left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya created history on a batting paradise of a wicket at Galle International Stadium on April 27. Jayasuriya has become the fastest spinner to 50 Test wickets. He broke the record of former West Indies left-arm spinner Alf Valentine who completed his 50 Test wickets in December 1951 in his eighth Test appearance.
The overall record belongs to Australia's Charlie Turner who completed 50 Test wickets from just six Tests in August 1888.
Jayasuriya achieved the milestone with the wicket of Paul Stirling on Day 5 of the second Test against Ireland.
Jayasuriya registered his Test career's fifth five-wicket haul in the first innings. He toiled hard in the sun and took five wickets from the 58.3 overs that he bowled while conceding 174 runs. After taking crucial wickets, he mopped up the tail and prevented Ireland's score from crossing the 500-run mark.
Meanwhile, on Day 4, Nishan Madushka and Kusal Mendis converted centuries into maiden doubles by baton-charging the Ireland bowlers as Sri Lanka sustained control of the second Test.
At stumps on Day four, Ireland was 54 for the loss of openers James McCollum (10) and Peter Moor (19) and still 159 runs from making Sri Lanka bat again.
McCollum was brilliantly bowled by offspinner Ramesh Mendis and Moor was dismissed when Angelo Mathews held a superb low catch at short extra cover.
Sri Lanka was pushing for a 100th Test win and series sweep with the benefit of home advantage and a fifth-day pitch.
Propelled by Madushka's 205 and Mendis' 245, Sri Lanka declared its first innings on 705-3 — a new ground record — immediately after Mathews notched his 15th and fastest century.
The previous highest total at Galle was 638 by Bangladesh in 2013.
