Madushka, Mendis double tons maintain Sri Lanka control

Nishan Madushka and Kusal Mendis converted centuries into maiden doubles by baton-charging the Ireland bowlers as Sri Lanka sustained control of the second Test here on April 27.

Nishan Madushka and Kusal Mendis converted centuries into maiden doubles by baton-charging the Ireland bowlers as Sri Lanka sustained control of the second Test here on April 27.

At stumps on day four, Ireland was 54 for the loss of openers James McCollum (10) and Peter Moor (19) and still 159 runs from making Sri Lanka bat again.

McCollum was brilliantly bowled by offspinner Ramesh Mendis and Moor was dismissed when Angelo Mathews held a superb low catch at short extra cover.

Sri Lanka was pushing for a 100th test win and series sweep with the benefit of home advantage and a fifth-day pitch.

Propelled by Madushka's 205 and Mendis' 245, Sri Lanka declared its first innings on 705-3 — a new ground record — immediately after Mathews notched his 15th and fastest century.

The previous highest total at Galle was 638 by Bangladesh in 2013.

Mathews was unbeaten on 100 off 114 balls after hitting four sixes and six boundaries. Dhananjaya de Silva, who replaced an injured Dinesh Chandimal, was 12 not out.