Player of the Match
Player of the Match

All smiles in the Sri Lanka camp as Karunaratne collects the trophy. He poses for the camera before the team gets together for a group picture. It's been fun bringing the series to you. Hope you enjoyed our coverage. Till the next time, this is me, Ashish Pant, signing off on behalf of Aaditya, Binoy and Vairavan. Ciao!

And, finally the Sri Lanka captain, Dimuth Karunaratne: It was a very different wicket from the first one. The way the bowlers bowled, it was really amazing. The fast bowler, spinners and Ramesh came back very well. This kind of cricket is what I am expecting from the boys. If they can get 500, of course, we can cross that. We wanted to get a good start, and we got that. Runs matter for the batters, it will boost the confidence. The batters did well. Everyone did their job. We knew it could rain anytime, so I asked the bowlers to put in a good session and the bowlers put their hands up. The way Asitha bowled was really amazing. If we want to win away series, this is the kind of bowling we need. Ramesh could not do well in the first innings, but he bounced back well. He will do well in the Pakistan series as well.

Here's Andy Balbirnie, the Ireland captain:Feels fine, it was a good spell of bowling and Harry played very well. We have to take the positives. To take it to day five was excellent. We know how good a team Sri Lanka is. We need to make improvements. It is not easy, we don't play a lot of red-ball cricket. We have to do things better. We will learn a lot in these two weeks. Our next Test is against England. Very fortunate to play here, and it is a great venue.

Kusal Mendis is the Player of the Series: [This is a summary] However good the surface was, it was challenging. He says he was trying to be aggressive and he did not know about the six-hitting record.

Prabath Jayasuriya is the Player of the Match: This is a very different wicket when compared to the first game, was a batting-friendly wicket. We were trying to do the basics right. These kinds of wickets, patience is very important. We were trying to be patient. The shoulder is fine.

Presentation time

Here's Ramesh Mendis: I am really happy with my performance and the team's performance. I bowled my consistent line and length. I love bowling in Galle. I am really happy. Proud moment for us and really happy with the overall performance.

2.40pm Sri Lanka register a comfortable win in the end, and take the two-match series 2-0. But, they have been made to fight. In the end, it was Ramesh Mendis' five-wicket haul that proved to be the difference as Ireland were bowled out for 202. Not a lot on the surface for the bowler. Ireland started the day two down and they were met with a hostile spell for bowling from Asitha Fernando. He peppered the batter with short balls aplenty, also forcing Andy Balbirnie to retire hurt. The Irish captain did come back and scored a crucial 46. However, the star of Ireland's batting was Harry Tector, who was superb during his 189-ball 85. He negated the turn, kept out the bouncers and in between played some delightful shots. His innings was laced with eight fours and three sixes. At one point he was chasing his century, before a corker of a yorker from Asitha pegged back his leg stump. It did not take Sri Lanka long to wrap up the Test after that.

Dan: "Only the 2nd time I've ever had a comment published, and it ended up being a commentator's curse... best believe my head is banging against my desk right now" Mate, there are a number of comments for you on the feedback, at the moment

Chris Drew: "Can someone remove Dan's Keyboard of Doom before the next Ireland Test, please."

Patrick: "Congratulations Sri Lanka!!! What a way to celebrate the 100th test win with a record breaking innings win after Ireland's 1st innings 492."

Yousuf: "Is Ireland's 492 the highest first innings score which resulted in an innings defeat?" Yes, it is.

77.3
W
AM Fernando to White, OUT, And, that's that! Asitha cleans up White and Sri Lanka win the second Test by an innings and ten runs. Full-length ball tailing into the batter, who gets an inside-edge back onto the stumps. Asitha celebrates, and with that Sri Lanka complete their 100th Test win.

B White b AM Fernando 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Ben White is the last man in

77.2
W
AM Fernando to Tector, OUT, Yorker, right on the base of middle stump and Asitha is absolutely pumped up! Tails it in the blockhole, as Tector backs away looking for another wild swing. He misses, the bowler doesn't and his stumps are left in a mess. But, that is one heck of an innings from Tector, who falls for 85.

HT Tector b AM Fernando 85 (189b 8x4 3x6) SR: 44.97

Tector pulls out as the bowler runs in. Karunaratne isn't pleased. Tector says, 'I have swing dripping into my eye, mate'

77.1
0
AM Fernando to Tector, no run, Full reverse-swinging ball outside leg stump. Whacks him on the boot as the ball goes towards the off side

Dan: "You never know! They might save the match! Go Tector!"

END OF OVER:
77 | (maiden) | IRE: 202/8

  • Matthew Humphreys4 (31b)
  • Harry Tector85 (187b)
  • Prabath Jayasuriya32-9-88-2
  • Asitha Fernando11-3-30-1

Dan: "You never know! They might save the match! Go Trector!"

76.6
0
Jayasuriya to Humphreys, no run, Angled in on off stump, he defends
76.5
0
Jayasuriya to Humphreys, no run, Slows it up and that is way too short on off. He goes back comfortably and defends. Very slow turn for Jayasuriya.
76.4
0
Jayasuriya to Humphreys, no run, Gets a hint of turn on off, he stays back and defends to the off side off the backfoot
76.3
0
Jayasuriya to Humphreys, no run, Very full on off, he digs it to point
76.2
0
Jayasuriya to Humphreys, no run, Full-length ball on middle. He pushes it back to the bowler
76.1
0
Jayasuriya to Humphreys, no run, Fuller on off, he gets forward to defend

END OF OVER:
76 | 8 Runs | IRE: 202/8

  • Harry Tector85 (187b)
  • Matthew Humphreys4 (25b)
  • Asitha Fernando11-3-30-1
  • Prabath Jayasuriya31-8-88-2

James Joyce: "Let there be fight? And there was."

75.6
6
AM Fernando to Tector, SIX, Going, going, gone! Banged in short on off, and this one sits up for Tector as he goes back and slams the pull over deep midwicket. He gets into the 80s, Ireland breach the 200-mark. The deficit is now just ten.

And now the field comes in. Square leg stays back, though. Double bluff?

75.5
0
AM Fernando to Tector, no run, Full-length ball on off, he gets a thick inside-edge back onto his body

Field comes in with two balls in. Oh, scratch that, they are back again to the fence.

75.4
0
AM Fernando to Tector, no run, Banged in short and that is a good bouncer on middle. Tector can only sway away from the line of it
75.3
2
AM Fernando to Tector, 2 runs, Low full toss outside off, he slices it to the right of deep third and they take two comfortable runs
75.2
0
AM Fernando to Tector, no run, Tails the length ball on middle stump, he hacks it to deep midwicket. Did not time it once more.
75.1
0
AM Fernando to Tector, no run, Swings his bat once again to the length ball on middle and leg. Does not get hold of it and mistimes to deep midwicket

Jamie Dow: "Wonderful to see such fight from Ireland. They're not going to save the match. But what a difference between losing by x wickets and losing by an innings and n runs! It's also worth remembering that most visiting sides lose in Sri Lanka."

Ireland 3rd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st10PJ MoorJA McCollum
2nd28A BalbirniePJ Moor
3rd22A BalbirnieHT Tector
3rd1PR StirlingHT Tector
4th17LJ TuckerHT Tector
5th25C CampherHT Tector
6th40A BalbirnieHT Tector
7th16AR McBrineHT Tector
8th2GI HumeHT Tector
9th41HT TectorMJ Humphreys
10th0B WhiteMJ Humphreys