Ireland defeats West Indies by 5 wickets

An unbeaten 54 from Harry Tector, and an all-round performance from Andy McBrine helped Ireland level the One Day International series with a win in a rain-hit 2nd second match at Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica yesterday.

The under-strength Ireland team, which had a number of players missing after testing positive for COVID-19, including captain, Andy Balbirnie, had the West Indies in early trouble at 43-3. Ireland opted to field first after winning the toss. Fast bowler, Craig Young took the three early West Indies wickets. A brief 48-run fourth-wicket stand between Shamarh Brooks (43) and Roston Chase (13) revived West Indies’ innings, but off-spinner, Andy McBrine stook consecutive wicket to further dent West Indies progress.
The West Indies then slipped from 91 for 3 to 111 for 7, before a 58-run ninth-wicket partnership between Romario Shepherd (50) and Odean Smith (46) took the total past 200. Smith hit five sixes and two fours in an aggressive 19-ball 46, while Shepherd scored a 41-ball 50.

But McBrine removed Shepherd to take his fourth wicket at the cost of 36 runs, as the West Indies were dismissed for 229 of 48 overs.

Ireland’s top four made sure their chase got off to a quick start, with stand-in captain, Paul Stirling becoming the first Irish batsman to 5,000 One Day International runs on his way to a 15-ball 21.

Tector, who batted at No. 4, brought up his fifty off 69 deliveries, as Ireland crossed 150, shortly after which play was halted briefly due to rain. The target was thus brought down to 168, which meant Ireland needed 11 runs from the remaining 28 balls.

Ireland’s revised target was achieved within the next eight deliveries with five wickets in hand, and Ireland added ten more World Cup Super League points while moving to fourth on the table. Tector remained unbeaten on 54 off 75 balls, but McBrine’s efforts with both bat and ball earned him the Player-of-the-Match award.

The final scores: The West Indies 229 off 48 overs, Ireland 168-5 off 32-3 overs after being set a revised target of 168 off 36 overs because of a rain-interruption. The Series was drawn 1-1.

Because of positive COVID-19 Test in Ireland’s squad, the 3rd One Day International was cancelled, as was the one-off Twenty/20 International.