Face-saving win for WI

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

Captain Darren Sammy produced a brilliant spell of seam to lift the West Indies to an eleven-run win over Ireland in the second match of the two-game Twenty20 International series at Sabina Park yesterday.

Sammy, who saw his team plunge to 96 for six off their 20 overs, returned to claim three for 22 off his four overs as the home team rallied to limit the Irish to 85 for eight.

Yesterday's result ensured that the teams shared the two-match series. The visitors won the first match by six wickets on Wednesday.

It appeared that the West Indies would suffer another embarrassing defeat after they failed to even match the 116 they made in the first game. Man of the Match Sammy and his bowlers, however, had different ideas. Krishmar Santokie, Samuel Badree, Sunil Narine, and Dwayne Bravo all gave good support to their captain. They had them in trouble at 15 for two after just five overs, then 25 for five in the 11th over, and an even more challenging 62 for six, with five overs remaining.

Sammy accounted for the scalps of Andrew Poynter, who was one of the first game's match-winners, who was caught off a full toss by Samuels at cover for two, and the dangerous Kevin O'Brien, who was yorked for three. The other wicket to fall to Sammy was that of Stuart Thompson, who was caught by Dwayne Smith at deep square leg for seven.

Santokie, playing in his first international game in more than two years, finished with economical figures of one for 12 off four overs, while Badree finished with one for 13 off his maximum.

Earlier, the West Indies, who left out ace batsman Chris Gayle due to stiffness with his hamstring, and Ravi Rampaul, who was rested, and included opener Andre Fletcher and home boy Santokie, turned in a another woeful batting display.

Six batsmen got into double figures, but nobody got past 20. The topscorer was opener Andre Fletcher with 19.

Fast bowler Alex Cusack, who later claimed the Man of the Series award, had the impressive figures of four for 11 off four overs.

The teams will now turn their attention to a one-off one-day international tomorrow at the same venue.

At the end of the match, Sammy bemoaned his team's poor batting display.

"We are not happy with the way that we have batted as a team," Sammy told The Gleaner. "On this pitch, yes it is difficult to score, but it is not a 96 and 116 pitch. It is more like a 120, 140 pitch.

SCOREBOARD

WEST INDIES innings

D. Smith c Porterfield b Cusack 11A. Fletcher c +Wilson b Cusack 19M. Samuels c +Wilson b Thompson 10L. Simmons lbw b O'Brien 12D.J. Bravo run out 10A. Russell b Murtagh 8D. Sammyrun out 2D. Ramdin+ c Sorensen b Cusack 5S. Narine not out 12S. Badree c & b Cusack 5K. Santokie not out 0Extras (w2) 2Total (9 wickets; 20 overs) 96

Fall of wickets: 1-27, 2-30, 3-44, 4-58, 5-69, 6-73, 7-74, 8-84 , 9-93

Bowling: Sorensen 3-0-20-0, Murtagh 4-0-22-1, Dockrell 3-0-14-1, Cusack 4-1-11-4, Thompson 1-0-9-1, Stirling 1-0-4-0, O'Brien 4-0-16-1

IRELAND innings

W. Porterfieldb Badree 5P. Stirling b Santokie 2E. Joyce c +Ramdin b Narine 10G. Wilson+ c & b Bravo 35A. Poynter c Samuels b Sammy 2K. O'Brien b Sammy 3S. Thompson c Smith b Sammy 7M. Sorensen not out 10A. Cusack run out (Bravo) 8T. Murtagh not out 1Extras (lb 2) 2Total (8 wickets; 20 overs) 85

Did not bat: G. Dockrel

Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-15, 3-22, 4-25, 5-29, 6-49, 7-72, 8-82.

Bowling: Santokie 4-0-12-1, Badree 4-1-13-1,Narine 4-0-12-1, DJ Bravo 4-0-24-1, Sammy 4-0-22-3

Toss: Ireland

Player of the match: D. Sammy (West Indies)

Player of the series: A.R. Cusack (Ireland)

Umpires: N. Duguid and J.S. Wilson