Sri Lanka v Ireland Highlights 18th June 2016 – 2nd ODI

Ireland won the toss and decided to bowl first today and after the toss, the Sri Lanka team played first and scored 377 runs in fifty overs with the loss off eight wickets. Sri Lanka tour of England and Ireland, 2nd ODI: Ire v SL at Dublin (Malahide), Jun 18, 2016. Seekkuge Prasanna finished with an ODI average of 9.19 as the ninth batsman in 24 ODI innings for Sri Lanka, batting at No. 3.

Nobody could have predicted that he would go so close to shattering one of the most treasured records in Sri Lankan cricket. Sri Lanka played their first match after winning the World Cup in Lahore on April 2, 1996 in Singapore. Feeling liberated, Sanath Jayasuriya unleashed a 48-ball century by reverting to the strategies that had led to the most memorable day in Sri Lankan history.

Since Jayasuriya broke the record two decades ago, no other Sri Lankan has been able to make an ODI century in less than seventy balls. But Prasanna came closer than anybody else, despite his lack of batting experience. The savagery that was to follow was hinted at in his very first ball. Andy McBrine’s offspinner looped up invitingly and was hammered for a six long off.

The stroke demonstrated how Prasanna was able to dominate from the first ball because of the circumstances: after Kusal Perera and Danushka Gunathilaka had put up 147 for the opening wicket, he was moved up the order. Prasanna seemed to hurl over the legside barrier more emphatically each time. The timing and force of the strokes more than made up for any lack of elegance; one careless pick-up off Boyd Rankin over square leg was especially imperious.

As if mocking the guy positioned for that precise shot. Prasanna will be able to heave without worrying about his wicket in few other circumstances than this one, but the innings suggests that he will establish himself as a dangerous floater in the line-up. The only unfortunate thing was that Tim Murtagh bowled him five runs short of Jayasuriya’s record with two balls remaining after he attempted another smear over the legside to smash his tenth six.

Prasanna stole the show, making Perera’s performance look almost like a relic from a more refined period of ODI cricket; his unnamed jersey appeared to capture his relative obscurity. He wasn’t even close to being prosaic—135 came at a good bit over a run-a-ball. If the defining feature of Prasanna’s innings was his ability to clear the legside ropes, then Perera’s was his precise driving through the offside.

Frequently over the heads of those in the 30-yard circle. The result of their disparate innings, along with Gunathilaka’s methodical innings, was that Ireland need some excellent death bowling to keep Sri Lanka to less than 300 runs (only 15 came from the last three overs). Too frequently Ireland’s bowlers were guilty of throwing full tosses on a benign pitch.

Less obviously, Ireland is a less harsh team to play against than it was when batters were annoyed by Trent Johnston, John Mooney, and Niall O’Brien (the latter two reunited in the commentary box, O’Brien’s torn calf keeping him out of action for another month). Throughout Sri Lanka’s attack, Ireland appeared uncomfortably silent at moments. When Sri Lanka at 310 for 3 after falling quickly after Prasanna and Perera, Kevin O’Brien chirped, “Come on lads, make it 320 for 5 here.”

At least Ireland was still somewhat amused. Ireland’s reputation in cricket has been founded on their ability to chase big objectives, but this mission was far different from their heists in Nelson or Bangalore. The top three were removed early on, with Ed Joyce’s wide delivery to Gunathilaka at point ending a 1556-day wait for an international wicket for Maharoof.

The rest of the day was so lackluster that one could have imagined this was not an official One-Day International (ODI) but only an exhibition match, the kind of game that used to be Ireland’s lot when Test teams deigned to visit. Five Irish batters achieved their greatest scores, which seemed rather strange considering the extent of Ireland’s defeat. McBrine made the biggest and most encouraging contribution.

Instead of being the pointless strokes of a late-order swinger, his elegant drives over the offside, the hooked six that reached his half-century, and the disdainful pull off Angelo Matthews when he dipped short, were those of a man who could bat in the top seven against Test opponents. Having batted at number eleven on his ODI debut, Sage experts believe McBrine has the potential to become a potent all-round batsman.

On a day when three Irish sports teams lost in one day, McBrine’s precise late strokes and Boyd Rankin’s massive soaring straight six at least provided some relief to the Malahide audience. However, Ireland’s crushing loss came at a bad time, since the ICC conference next week is approaching, a gathering that Ireland will be hoping would see the international game shift towards more inclusive systems in both Test and ODI cricket.

Sri Lanka in Ireland ODI Series – 2nd ODI

ODI no. 3749 | 2016 season

Played at The Village, Malahide, Dublin

18 June 2016 (50-over match)

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