SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS
Complied by Victor Melder
(APRIL 2023)
The touring Sri Lankans beat New Zealand in the one-over eliminator (with the score being tied) in the first T20 International played at Eden Park, Auckland. Scores:
Sri Lanka – 196/5 in 20 Overs (Asalanka 67, Perera 53, Mendis 25, Neesham 2/30, Milne 1/42)
New Zealand – 196/8 in 20 Overs (Mitchell 66, Chapman 33, Latham 27, Karunaratne 2/36, Madushanka 2/37)
Player of the Match: Charith Asalanka (Sri Lanka)
T20 Debut: Chad Bowes, Henry Shipley, Chris Brown (New Zealand)
New Zealand beat the touring Sri Lankans by 9 wickets to win the second T20 International played at University Oval, Dunedin. Scores:
Sri Lanka – 141 in 19 Overs (de Silva 37, Perera 35, Asalanka 24, Milne 5/26, Lister 2/26, Neesham 1/20)
New Zealand – 146/1 in 14.4 Overs ( Seifert 79no, Bowes 31, Latham 20no, Rajitha 1/25.
Player of the Match: Adam Milne (New Zealand)
There will be a historic game later this week in Galle as the first-ever Test between Sri Lanka and Ireland gets underway on Sunday. The Irish arrived in Colombo on Easter Sunday and were transferred to the coastal town of Galle and are putting up at Lighthouse resort, the most popular hotel in the south for visiting cricket teams over the years. Ireland was granted Test status in 2018 along with Afghanistan but the country has made little progress over the last five years having played only four Test matches. If you take Sri Lanka by the way, in their first five years of Test cricket, they had played 25 Tests and had already beaten sport’s powerhouses like India and Pakistan. Ireland’s four games have been all one Tests, and this is the first time they’d be engaging in more than one Test. There was only one Test scheduled on this tour as well but both boards mutually agreed to scrap couple of one-day games and add an extra Test match. Ireland arrived straight from Dhaka where they played a Test against Bangladesh last week and suffered a seven-wicket loss. So, there’s some momentum behind them having played competitive cricket. Both Test matches will take place in Galle and in helpful conditions Sri Lanka will be looking to breathe easy after being hammered in New Zealand. (Daily Island, 11.4.2023)
Sri Lanka beat the touring Irish by an Innings and 288 runs, in 3-days, to win the first Test played at the Galle International Stadium. Scores:
Sri Lanka, 1st Innings – 591/6 dec (Katunaratne 179, K. Mendis 140, Samarawickrama 104no, Campher 2/84, Adair 1/95, Dockrell 1/119)
Ireland, 1st Innings – 143 (Tucker 45, McCollum 35, Tector 34, Jayasuriya 7/52, V. Fernando 2/38, R.Mendis 1/40)
Ireland, 2nd Innings – 168 (Tector 42, Dockrell 32, Campher 30, R.Mendis 4/76, Jaysuriuya 3/56, V. Fernando 2/3)
Player of the Match: Prabath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka beat the touring Irish by an Innings and ten runs to win the second and final Test played at the Galle International cricket Stadium. Scores:
Ireland, 1st Innings – 492 (Campher 111, Stirling 103, Balbirinie 95, Mcbrine 35, Jayasuriya 5/74, A.Fernando 2/78, V. Fernando 2/92)Sri Lanka, 1st Innings – 704/3 dec (K. Mendis 245, Madushanka 205, Karunaratne 115, Mathews 100no, Hume 1/87, Campher 1/101)
Ireland, 2nd Innings – 202 (Tector 85, Balbirnie 46, R. Mendis 5/64, A. Fernando 3/30, Jayasuriya 2/88)
Player of the Match: Prabath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka)
Player of the Series: Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka)
Test Debut: Mathew Humphreys (Ireland)
Sri Lankan spinner Prabath Jayasuirya set a world record today by being the fastest spinner to take 50 wickets in test cricket. Jayasuriya managed this feat at the age of 31. He captured 50 wickets in just seven test matches. On average he has taken at least 7 wickets every match. Prabath beat the earlier record set by West Indies’ spinner Alf Valentine almost 71 years ago. He has taken 5 wickets in an inning six times including 5 wickets in the 1st inning of the Ireland v Sri Lanka on the ongoing test match in Galle. (Daily News, 28.4.2023)
