Sri Lanka declare after Samarawickrama comeback hundred

Rex Clementine
in Galle

A seven-year drought without a hundred by a Sri Lankan wicketkeeper finally ended yesterday as Sadeera Samarawickrama posted three figures in his comeback game as Sri Lanka took a firm grip in the first Test against Ireland here in Galle.

Since Kusal Perera made a hundred against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2016, no Sri Lankan wicketkeeper had entered the promised land. In those seven years, bulk of the wicketkeeping duties was done by Niroshan Dickwella. It’s quite strange how someone of Dickwella’s caliber failed to make a Test hundred in 54 Tests. It is even more strange that the selectors, both current and their predecessors, persevered with him for that long.

It gets even more complex when you realize that the man Dickwella has been keeping out is Sadeera, whose work ethic has won him many admirers and plaudits as the most hard-working cricketer since Kumar Sangakkara.

Sri Lanka declared their innings on 591 for six moments after Sadeera reached his hundred. He was unbeaten on 104 and that’s now the highest score by a Sri Lankan number eight batsman improving on Tilan Samaraweera’s 103 against India in 2001 at SSC.

Dinesh Chandimal also joined the party making his 14th Test hundred. Four Sri Lankans completed centuries in the game with skipper Dimuth Karunaratne (179) and Kusal Mendis (140) reaching three figures on day one.

Chandimal and Sadeera added an unbroken 183 runs for the seventh wicket as the hosts completed the proceedings. Ireland started off the day well claiming two wickets in the first half hour but soon ran out of steam.Nightwatchman Prabath Jayasuriya was trapped leg before wicket in the second over of the morning and on the very next ball Chandimal was dropped by the wicketkeeper on 18.

Soon Dhananjaya de Silva brought up Sri Lanka’s 400 with back-to-back boundaries but failed to make a big one as Andy McBrine trapped him leg before wicket for 12. Ireland batters had a huge task ahead of them and they got off to a horror start as Vishwa Fernando picked up two wickets in his first over.

Vishwa’s left-arm seam was overlooked for the New Zealand Tests as Sri Lanka opted for an overdose of right-arm seam. He has done really well whenever opportunities have been presented to him. He cleaned up Murray Commins for a first-ball duck as the ball nipped back late and clipped the bails. Captain Andy Balbirnie got off the mark with a boundary but lasted only four balls as he was caught at short leg by Nishan Madushka.

A 70-run stand followed between James McCollum and Harry Tector for the third wicket and Prabath Jayasuriya broke the stand when Tector was caught at first slip for 34. Curtis Campher fell for a second ball duck as Jayasuriya completed a double wicket maiden. In his next over Jayasuriya cleaned up opener James McCollum for 35 and ended with a five-wicket haul. Ireland trail Sri Lanka by a massive 474 runs.