Sri Lanka to go with spin-heavy attack; Stirling joins Ireland camp
Sri Lanka will likely add one more spinner for the second Test at Galle
Sri Lanka is likely to call up either left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya or rookie leg-break bowler Dushan Hemantha for the second Test starting Monday as the hosts look to clean sweep the two-match series against Ireland.
After batters gave them a mammoth total, their spinners claimed 15 wickets in the first Test to wipe out Ireland inside three days by a record margin of an innings and 280 runs.
On a traditionally spin-friendly track, Sri Lanka employed two seamers — Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando — in the first Test with both bowling only 21 overs in the match. While Vishwa was impressive with the new ball, claiming two wickets apiece in each inning, Asitha did not make any impact finishing with none for 24 in eight overs.
This means there’s a greater possibility of adding a third spinner for the second and final Test. Prabath Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis were the two spinners employed by Sri Lanka in the first Test. Embuldeniya is a veteran of 17 Test matches but has struggled for wickets in the domestic scene. Hemantha came into the side on the back of a strong performance for Sri Lanka ‘A’ against England Lions in the unofficial ODI series played in February. He claimed 11 wickets at an average of 11.45 and could be in line to make his debut.
Ireland's most experienced cricketer Paul Stirling will join the side
However, depending on the pitch condition Sri Lanka may stick to the winning combination according to team sources.
In the first-ever Test match between the two sides, Sri Lanka made Ireland toil hard from the very first day. After electing to bat first, Sri Lanka piled up a huge 591 for 6 before declaring their first innings.
Karunaratne top scored with a masterful 179 while Kusal Mendis posted 140. Dinesh Chandimal and Sadeera Samarawickrama then hit unbeaten hundreds.
Sri Lanka then had Ireland bowled out twice for 143 and 168 respectively inside four sessions to go one up in the two-match series.
Ireland, who are playing their first-ever two-match series in their short Test history, are bolstered with the arrival of the team’s vice captain Paul Stirling.
Stirling was rested after the conclusion of the recent Bangladesh series, but has now returned to the squad and is positioned to add to his three Test caps to date. Ireland found the conditions extremely excruciating in Galle. On onside were Sri Lankan spinners, who were using the conditions well to rip through their innings and on the other side was the extreme heat in the middle.
Ireland has now lost all five of their matches since securing Test status in 2017.