Easy win for Windies

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

Guided by captain and man-of-the-match, Dwayne Bravo, the West Indies defeated Ireland by four wickets in their one-off one-day international cricket match at Sabina Park yesterday.

Bravo first took three for 36 to help restrict Ireland to 202 off 49.2 overs, before returning to hit a boundary-filled 35 off 29 balls to lead West Indies to 205 for six off 36.4 overs.

"A win is a win and we are delighted," said Bravo. "Ireland showed earlier in the week that they are more than capable of winning and heading into this game we decided not to take any chances.

"We got the opportunity to bowl first and wanted to restrict them to a total to just about 200.

"We then knew that we had the talent and experience to get such a total and showed good application to come away with the desired result."

Needing to score at just over four runs per over to win, the West Indies, which had earlier in the week drawn their two-match Twenty20 International series 1-1, made a perfect start when openers Dwayne Smith and Kieron Powell put on an even 100.

Powell broke free

Smith, recalled to the team due to the absence of Chris Gayle, who earlier in the week complained of stiffness in his back, hit three sixes and five fours on his way to making 55 off 53 balls. The left-handed Powell broke free as his innings progressed and went on to top-score with 57 off 80 balls.

Bravo, who batted at number five ahead of Marlon Samuels, hit five fours and six. He also shared in a valuable fourth-wicket stand of 52 with Powell.

Samuels, who batted at seven, hit a lofted six over long off to end the match to be unbeaten on 26 off 21 balls at the end with Darren Sammy.

Fast bowler Stuart Thompson, the last of six bowlers used by captain William Porterfield, claimed two for 17 to emerge as the leading wicket-taker.

Earlier, Dwayne Bravo, whose haul came off 9.2 overs, pegged back the Irish after they were cruising at 69 for two in the 17th over.

Twenty-two-year-old fast bowler Jason Holder, who along with 23-year-old debutant Miguel Cummins opened the bowling, was West Indies' leading wicket-taker with three for 34, while left-arm spinner, Nikita Miller, took two for 30 off his 10 overs.

"It was a good toss to win, as evidenced by the good start we got. However, in the middle we stumbled a bit and in the end fell about 40 or 50 runs short of what we think would've been a more competitive total," said Ireland captain, William Porterfield.

"But credit to the West Indies, they were on top of the game throughout and in the end came away deserved victors."

SCOREBOARD

Ireland 202 all out (49.2 overs)

William Porterfield c +Denesh Ramdin b Miguel Cummins 25

Paul Stirling b Jason Holder 4

Ed Joyce c Jason Holder b Dwayne Bravo 25

Niall O'Brien c +Denesh Ramdin b Dwayne Bravo 12

+Gary Wilson c Kirk Edwards b Darren Sammy 62

Kevin O'Brien c & b Nikita Miller 22

Andrew Poynter c +Denesh Ramdin b Nikita Miller 3

Stuart Thompson c Kieran Powell b Jason Holder 33

Max Sorensen b Jason Holder 1

George Dockrell c & b Dwayne Bravo 1

Tim Murtagh not out 2

Extras (lb 2, w 7, nb 3) 12

Total (10 wkts; 49.2 overs) 202

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-54, 3-69, 4-78, 5-123, 6-132, 7-193, 8-198, 9-199, 10-202.

Bowling: Jason Holder 9-1-43-3 (2w), Miguel Cummins 6-1-42-1 (3nb, 1w), Dwayne Bravo 9.2-0-36-3 (1w), Darren Sammy 8-0-29-1, Nikita Miller 10-0-30-2, Marlon Samuels 7-0-29-0 (2w).

West Indies 205 for 6 (36.4 overs)

Dwayne Smith c +Gary Wilson b Stuart Thompson 55

Kieran Powell st +Gary Wilson b Paul Stirling b 57

Kirk Edwards run out 2

Darren Bravo c+Gary Wilson b Stuart Thompson 1

Dwayne Bravo c Stuart Thompson b Max Sorensen 35

Denesh Ramdin lbw George Dockrell 15

Marlon Samuels not out 26

Darren Sammy not out 1

Did not bat: Jason Holder, Miguel Cummins, Nikita Miller

Extras (lb 5, w 8) 13

Total (6 wkts; 36.4 overs) 205

Fall of wickets: 1-100, 2-105, 3-108, 4-160, 5-172, 6-190

Bowling: Max Sorensen 4-0-34-1 (2w), Tim Murtagh 6-1-41-0 (1w), George Dockrell 9.4-1-48-1, Paul Stirling 10-2-42-1, Kevin O'Brien 3-0-18-0, Stuart Thompson 4-0-17-2 (1w).

Result: West Indies won by four wickets

Man-of-the-Match: Dwayne Bravo

Man-of-the-Series: Dwayne Bravo

Umpires: Gregory Brathwaite, Michael Gough

Fourth Official: David Odhiambo

Match Referee: Andrew Pycroft.