Ireland vs. Sri Lanka, 1st One-Day International: Highlights, Scorecard, Report

Sri Lanka beat Ireland by 79 runs in the opening match of their one-day international series in Dublin.

The Associate Nation, who won the toss and chose to field at the Clontarf Cricket Club Ground, restricted the tourists to 219-8 in their 50 overs.

However, the hosts could only make 140 in their reply.

Sri Lanka, missing rested veteran batsmen Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan, were in some trouble at 95-5.

However, Ashan Priyanjan (31) and Nuwan Kulasekara (42 not out) offered lower-order resistance.

The tourists lost Kusal Perera to a duck in the opening over and despite 39 from Dinesh Chandimal, they were five down in the 30th over.

Kulasekara, batting at eight, hit three fours and two sixes with 39 coming off the final three overs.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls
K Perera	c K O'Brien	b Murtagh	0		4
Upul Tharanga	c Wilson	b Thompson	24	69	52
Thirimanne	c Wilson	b Cusack	8	32	24
Chandimal	c and b K O'Brien		39	76	61
Mathews	run out (N O'Brien)		30	76	53
Vithanage	c Joyce	b Stirling	5	4	5
Priyanjan	c Joyce	b Dockrell	31	49	44
N Kulasekara	not out		42	45	34
Senanayake	c Dockrell	b Murtagh	3	13	14
A Mendis	not out		18	14	9
Extras		0nb 18w 0b 1lb	19
Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Murtagh	10.0	1	21	2
Sorensen	8.0	1	31	0
Cusack	8.0	1	53	1
Thompson	4.0	0	19	1
Dockrell	10.0	0	45	1
K O'Brien	2.0	0	10	1
Stirling	8.0	1	39	1

Sri Lanka’s bid to win a 10th consecutive ODI was boosted as Paul Stirling and Ed Joyce were dismissed to leave Ireland 5-2 in the fifth over.

Niall O'Brien made 33 from just 39 balls, but he was trapped lbw by Ajantha Mendis before Gary Wilson, Kevin O'Brien and Stuart Thompson followed in quick succession to leave Ireland 74-6 in the 23rd over.

Captain William Porterfied departed after making a patient 37, becoming Mendis' third victim, and then Suranga Lakmal picked up his third wicket with Alex Cusack seeing his middle stump pegged back.

The newly-crowned World Twenty20 champions wrapped up the victory inside 40 overs as Tim Murtagh was trapped lbw for 10.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls
Porterfield	c K Perera	b A Mendis	37	103	87
Stirling		b N Kulasekara	4	5	6
Joyce	c Chandimal	b Lakmal	0	8	6
N O'Brien	lbw	b A Mendis	33	50	39
Wilson	run out (Senanayake)		3	11	2
K O'Brien	c Senanayake	b Lakmal	0	2	1
Thompson	lbw	b A Mendis	1	4	7
Cusack		b Lakmal	10	20	16
Sorensen	lbw	b N Kulasekara	17	39	35
Dockrell	not out		18	41	27
Murtagh	lbw	b Senanayake	10	12	13
Extras	0nb 4w 0b 3lb	7
Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Lakmal	8.0	1	29	3
N Kulasekara	8.0	3	30	2
Mathews	2.0	0	6	0
Senanayake	7.5	1	27	1
A Mendis	10.0	1	27	3
Priyanjan	3.0	0	11	0
Vithanage	1.0	0	7	0

The second match of the series is on the same ground on Thursday.