By: Tarish Bhatt
A better team played good cricket on a given day and registered a fine victory over the two-time champions in the World Cup. Ireland, so called minnows, registered a thumping four wicket win, with 25 balls to spare, over the West Indies at the Saxton Oval today.
Ireland top-order was in sublime touch and right from the start put them into control in chase of a mammoth 305 in Nelson. Paul Stirling, Niall O’Brian and Ed Joyce made half-centuries and chased down the 300+ total in the World Cups.
There are no doubts that the Irish team was a better side today, but the way Windies surrendered the contest, it was really disheartening. Despite being a better bowling unit, they looked clueless against Sterling and the rest of Irish batsmen.
To Windies respite, Sterling got out otherwise the former champions could have faced the embarrassment of losing the bonus point as well. The Caribbean outfit got few wickets at the end, but it was too late for them as their fate was sealed at point of time.
Earlier, batting first West Indies posted 304 on the board, courtesy a fine century from Lendl Simmons, who helped his side rescue from initial jolts given by Ireland. Darren Sammy also played well for his half-century.
George Dockrell was the pick of the bowlers for Ireland and finished with three wickets, while John Mooney, Max Sorenson and Kevin O’Brien took one wicket apiece. Dockrell, meanwhile, picked the wickets of Chris Gayle, Denesh Ramdin and Marlon Samuels.
Sammy and Simmons made a 154-run partnership for the sixth wicket, while the latter also stitched a 64-run stand with Andre Russell to propel Windies past 300 mark. It looked a par total, but Ireland came out all guns blazing to chase the total.
William Porterfield and Stirling provide Ireland a cautious start but they started to play aggressively as the match went on. Stirling, meanwhile, was rattled by Jerome Taylor’s bouncer, which hit him on the visor, but he pulled Windies pacer over the fence in the very same over.
Unlike other associate nations, Ireland were not rattled by short deliveries and Windies’ ploy of barraging short pitch bowling didn’t pay off. After Porterfield’s dismissal, Joyce played with determination and put Ireland on course of another victory.
