Ireland v Sri Lanka ODIs: Tourists clinch consolation victory over series winners

Sri Lanka secured a dominant eight-wicket consolation victory over series winners Ireland in the third one-day international at Stormont.

In contrast to the opening two matches, Ireland’s batters struggled from the off as Achini Kulasuriya dismissed Sarah Forbes and Amy Hunter in the first two balls of the match.

Kulasuriya continued to rip through Ireland’s top order as skipper Orla Prendergast departed to leave the hosts on 10-3.

As wickets continued to tumble, the Irish needed a knock of 35 from all-rounder Arlene Kelly and late runs from Alice Tector (17), Freya Sargent (16) and Aimee Maguire (10) to reach a paltry 122 in 46.3 overs.

Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu matched Kulasuriya’s three-wicket haul with impressive figures of 3-15 as she dismissed Kelly before mopping up the Ireland tail.

The tourists were never under any pressure in the run chase despite losing opener Vishmi Gunaratne (9) in the seventh over which put them on 32-1.

Athapaththu’s 48 helped them clinch victory as Harshitha Samarawickrama followed up her 105 on Sunday by hitting an unbeaten 48.

Ava Canning bowled Gunaratne, with Sargent dismissing the Sri Lanka skipper for Ireland’s only other wicket as the visitors won with 26.5 overs to spare.

The defeat took a little gloss off an otherwise highly successful 10 days of white-ball action for Ireland as they followed a 1-1 drawn Twenty20 series by taking a 2-1 victory in the ODIs.