Galle, April 24 (IANS) Captain Andrew Balbirnie hit a masterful 95 before Lorcan Tucker surpassed him as Ireland’s leading Test run-scorer as Ireland reached 319/4 on Day One of the second and final Test match of the series against Sri Lanka on Monday.
Balbirnie registered his career-best Test score in a century stand with Paul Stirling but was dismissed five runs short of a maiden hundred in the evening session. Stirling also reached a career-best total of 74 before retiring hurt, struggling with cramps.
The two batting stalwarts led the rebuilding job after Sri Lanka took early wickets, reducing the visitors to 43/2, with PJ Moor and James McCollum falling cheaply. Harry Tector was given out on an lbw decision on 11, but the review showed the ball bouncing over the wicket. But he was only able to add another seven runs before he charged down the pitch off Prabath Jayasuriya, and hit straight to a stretching mid-on fielder.
That led to Stirling’s arrival at the crease, fresh off the plane having joined the squad for this match only. True to style, he made his intentions clear early on, thumping a length ball over the square-leg boundary for a six to get off the mark on his third ball.
Stirling continued to be aggressive after lunch, hitting two more boundaries in consecutive overs early on and allowing Balbirnie to settle into an accumulator role at the other end. Before the lunch break, Balbirnie had reached his third Test match half-century off just 44 balls — the fastest ever for Ireland.
But, with Stirling pushing on at the other end, Balbirnie moved into the anchor role. Stirling was dropped two balls before reaching his half-century, as Kusal Mendis put down a low chance at slip, allowing him to get to fifty. After a dominant middle session, Ireland faltered slightly.
Stirling had looked increasingly uncomfortable in the heat before the tea break, and less than three overs into the final session of the day and struggling with cramps, he was cut in half by a delivery from Asitha Fernando and ended up in a heap on the floor.
The ball also beat the keeper to go for four, bringing up Ireland’s highest Test partnership in the process. But after a lengthy delay and physio treatment, Stirling had to be helped off the field, retiring hurt for 74.
Tucker wasted no time in continuing Stirling’s pace of attack, hitting two fours in his second over at the crease as Balbirnie marched on towards a fairytale three-figure score. But his attempt to paddle-sweep Ramesh Mendis brought his downfall, ending a superb innings.
Tucker and Campher (27 not out) finished off the day with a record partnership for Ireland’s fifth wicket. Tucker notched his half-century with a boundary to punish Sri Lanka at the end of a long day in the heat. After Balbirnie passed Kevin O’Brien’s record of 270 Test runs for Ireland earlier in the day, Tucker surpassed his tally in just his third Test match, finishing unbeaten on 78.
Brief scores:
Ireland 319/4 in 90 overs (Andrew Balbirnie 95, Lorcan Tucker 78 not out; Prabath Jayasuriya 2-95) against Sri Lanka
–IANS
nr/bsk
