Rex Clementine in Galle
New Test playing nations joining the fold is a welcome move as the game thrives going beyond a handful of nations. But awarding them Test status and not having a clear path to help them to be competitive is a no brainer. Ireland played their first Test match in 2018 and in five years they have played just five Test matches. Their last ended yesterday with the tourists suffering their heaviest defeat – by an innings and 280 runs.
It was also Sri Lanka’s biggest win overtaking the innings and 254 run win they completed over Zimbabwe in 2004 when Murali was in his prime.
Ireland’s problems are many fold. They don’t have First Class cricket back home and all their domestic compeitiion is limited to one-day games. Players are not going to develop skills and temperament needed to play the longer format of the game by just playing one-dayers. It was evident by the fact that not a single Irish batter made a half-century in the Galle Test while their bowling looked ordinary.
Not that they are without talent or character though. Harry Tector, the 23-year-old number four batter is certainly someone to watch out for.
After the Irish were made to follow on having been shot out for 143 in the first innings in reply to Sri Lanka’s mammoth 591 for six declared, Tector and Chris Campher almost batted through the afternoon session.
Tector was solid in defence and put away the loose balls. He was hit on the ribs by Asitha Fernando and was in pain and the umpires and fielders were signaling for the physio. The batsman though sent back the help and carried on regardless.
Tector was dismissed in unfortunate fashion. After pushing one to mid-off, he hurried for a single but there was no response from George Dockrell, the non-striker. Midway through, he turned back, but slipped and despite a diving effort was found short of the crease.
Tector top scored with 42 in Ireland’s second innings total of 168.
Prabath Jayasuriya continued his impressive run in Galle finishing with a match bag of ten wickets while Ramesh Mendis had five wickets to his name. The off-spinner became the joint-fastest Sri Lankan to claim 50 Test wickets. Both him and Dilruwan Perera have reached the landmark in 11 Tests.
It may not last long though as Jayasuriya is closing in on them having taken 43 wickets in six Tests.
