The hosts had been 357 for one on the shut, nonetheless 135 runs at the back of however with 9 wickets in hand.
Madushka used to be unbeaten on 149 at stumps, along Kusal Mendis, coming near a century of his personal on 83, after Karunaratne departed for 115 — the one wicket to fall at the 3rd day of the fit.
The first Test ended inside of 3 days with Sri Lanka’s spinners dominating, however the pitch in the second one come across has introduced the spinners little help and the batsmen ruled court cases.
Captain Karunaratne reached the sixteenth century of his Test profession, and his 2d consecutive ton, in simply 116 balls.
But the left-hander mistimed a pull shot off Curtis Campher and used to be stuck at deep tremendous leg within the closing over earlier than lunch, two balls after he used to be hit at the helmet.
Madushka had already introduced up his maiden Test century, pulling a Harry Tector complete toss for 6.
Their 228 used to be a report Sri Lankan opening partnership on the flooring, eclipsing the 193 between Marvan Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya in opposition to South Africa in 2000.
Mendis and Madushka persevered the run-fest, with the quantity 3 racing to his 83 off 96 balls with seven fours and 5 sixes, together with 3 in a row off debutant left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys, who used to be abruptly taken out of the assault.
Bad mild interrupted play earlier than tea, earlier than the rains got here down and it used to be referred to as off for the day.
The prospect of a draw loomed huge however Sri Lanka batting trainer Naveed Nawaz insisted his facet may nonetheless win the sport “although rain has played havoc”.
“There’s a total of 180 overs left in the game now,” he advised journalists. “If we bat for another 90 overs, we’ll be able to take a decent lead as our deficit is now only 135.
“We have wickets in hand and that is nonetheless a just right batting pitch.”
Play will resume 15 minutes early on the final two days to make up for lost time.
Sri Lanka lead the two-match series 1-0.
Ireland fast bowling coach Ryan Eagleson conceded his team’s bowlers “are nonetheless studying and are much less skilled in Test cricket”.
“So you have to give them time and be affected person,” he stated.