Irish Cricket 2023

KevIRL

What's the weather forecast like? Will it save Sri Lanka from inevitable defeat?

Drifter100

Well done the top order

Proper test batting for once, good application and concentration. Lets see if we can drag it out to mid afternoon or beyond on day 2

Mysterypunter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120510589#Comment_120510589

It's a lot better when he's scoring runs and not talking waffle, today was very positive, I agree with this post, I wonder do the ever re watch the interviews and cringe, I know there are only so many words you can use, but it was extremely repetitive

Mysterypunter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120515210#Comment_120515210

It is actually forecast to rain tomorrow but only around 3:00 local time, and the next few days appear similar, so there may be lots of overnight rain, but the ground dries up really quickly, so it may not have as much of an impact as the pre match predictions

Strumms

great turnaround by Ireland, at 43/2 I was a little worried but to get to 319/4 is impressive stuff…

they owed that performance to themselves and by proxy irish cricket….

Paul Stirlings injury has been put down to cramps I’m reading……so maybe after some rest, food and plenty of liquids he’ll resume his innings. He was going well. Be great if he could score a century…. 26 runs needed…

KevIRL

Stirling gets his ton. Now has centuries for Ireland in all formats of the game

Mysterypunter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120517642#Comment_120517642

Great stuff, going well

KevIRL

399/6 at lunch

Mysterypunter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120517644#Comment_120517644

Was out straight away, shouldn't have said anything, 80/2 in that session, not too bad, would br happy with 480, hopefully

Guildenstern

500 should be the target and while it's still achievable, this is test cricket and it may end up 420 all out.

Great to see Ireland set a high score first innings in a Test. While it may not be a match winning score, although it still could, more often than not it at worst gives us a draw.

Objectively though, tests have a tendency to move in different directions over the 5 days. Let's see how this develops.

KevIRL

450 up for no further wicket loss

KevIRL

Ton for Campher

Mysterypunter

Lovely ton for Campher, well deserved and well compiled, every batter who passed 20 has got to 80, great batting effort

TrueDub

Century for Campher - great batting from him and from Ireland in general.

Interesting to see that the people who love to pile on when Ireland struggle are nowhere to be seen here this morning...

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120517934#Comment_120517934

Of course they are and will be - great batting effort by us, ridden our chances and taken advantage of bad balls. What's been heartening is to see several partnerships built, two centuries and could easily have been a third. What's on now? Get past 500 and declare if necessary to leave us a good 30 overs to bowl at them?

KevIRL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120517932#Comment_120517932

Except McBrine

So far....

Mysterypunter

474/7;McBrine out, played well for 35, including a lovely straight 6 off Jayasuriya

KevIRL

Pity, I would say that means we wont end up declaring. Hopefully can get over the 500 mark with just the tail enders plus Campher left. No hurry either, keeping SL out in the middle for another 20-25 overs would be great.

Mysterypunter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120517946#Comment_120517946

Not sure if the bowlers can exert enough pressure, maybe not declare, and bat on as long as possible, time will not be an issue, if they take wickets they still have plenty of it, you would have to be wary of batting second time around and getting skittles, so while it's going well keep at it.

Mysterypunter

Campher out to a great slip catch for 111, 476/8

KevIRL

Campher gets a nelson

Mysterypunter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120517952#Comment_120517952

Crowed him OK, at the time I meant the batters who were out, when I cursed him he fell soon after

Mysterypunter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120518061#Comment_120518061

David Shepherd would have been leaping about

Mysterypunter

492, very good total

KevIRL

Yep v good indeed. All batters bar white got at least one boundary. Pity they didn't get to 500. But would have to hope that at worst they don't lose from here

Mysterypunter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120518190#Comment_120518190

Shouldn't, but depends on the fielding effort, still a good batting wicket, fingers crossed

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120518236#Comment_120518236

We'll have a good idea by close of play I think. If we are thinking of winning, a couple of wickets would be handy to put them under pressure. But you'd think that if we bowl reasonably well and field well enough and don't fall apart quickly in second innings that we'll get at least a draw from here. If we lose from here, it will be our own fault.

wicorthered

The key to bowling on these pitches is keeping it tight and making the batsmen work for their runs. Already Ireland have already given away 8 boundaries in the first 11 overs. Not a single maiden over with the new ball. Sri Lanka have flown to 50 under very little pressure.

The next step for this team is learning to control the run rate on batting pitches. Make batsmen make mistakes, don't serve up poor balls and make it even easier for them.

Sri Lanka are the ultimate flat track bullies. Their batsmen struggle anywhere outside Sri Lanka. If you bowl well to them their not great, but if you bowl poor they'll punish you.

Strumms

Nice total set with the bat...

Our bowlers not putting any real pressure on their batsmen though...

Mysterypunter

Sri Lanka untroubled at 81/0, 411 behind, keep at it and Ireland could still exert pressure