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Interval Ireland 129 for 6 (Gayle 2-21) v West Indies
West Indies put in an improved performance in the field to improve their chances of Super Eight qualification © AFP
West Indies have earned themselves an excellent chance of securing a place in the Super Eights, having restricted Ireland to just 129 for 6 in the crucial Group B game in Colombo.
With both sides having lost their first game in the tournament, against Australia, the loser of this match will be eliminated and, at the halfway stage, West Indies were the happier of the two teams.
Having won the toss and inserted Ireland, West Indies enjoyed the perfect start. Fidel Edwards struck with the first ball of the match, a swift, inswinging yorker that proved too much for William Porterfield who, falling over to the off side, was bowled as he played around it. It meant that Porterfield, who was also dismissed by the first ball of the match against Australia, had suffered seven first ball dismissals in internationals; five in T20Is and two in ODIs.
Ed Joyce guided his first ball to third man and inside edged another boundary later in the over and, while Ravi Rampaul's first over cost just two, Paul Stirling began to find some fluency. Though his first boundary, a top-edged pull off Edwards, was a little fortuitous, he greeted Darren Sammy's introduction into the attack in just the fifth over by giving himself a little room and crashing a pair of fours through the covers. When rain intervened after five overs Ireland were well placed at 33 for 1.
Sunil Narine's spin bowling was introduced after the delay of just short of an hour, with the game reduced to 19 over per side. Narine soon showed his value, beating Joyce's outside edge with his first two deliveries and then bowling him as the batsmen attempted a sweep with his third. At the end of the Powerplay, Ireland were 35 for 2.
Sammy dismissed Stirling, top-edging an attempted pull, in the seventh over, and almost had Gary Wilson in similar fashion later in the same over. On this occasion, however, Wilson gloved the ball over the keeper's head and capitalised by sweeping Narine for one boundary and cover driving Russell for another. The introduction of Chris Gayle accounted for Wilson, though, when he edged an arm-ball to the keeper to leave Ireland 70 for 4 in the 12th over.
A partnership of 26 between Kevin and Niall O'Brien gave the Irish innings some impetus. Niall pulled one six off Andre Russell, while Kevin drove another off Edwards, but when Gayle beat Niall O'Brien with a quicker ball and Kevin O'Brien, in moving across his stumps to glance, was bowled by a yorker, Ireland's last recognised batsmen had gone.
Narine, perhaps unsettled by Nigel Jones carting him for six over long-on, donated a free-hit to the Irish cause by over-stepping in the penultimate over and Trent Johnston thrashed one six over long-on off Gayle, but Ireland's total may well prove some way short of par, particularly if Duckworth-Lewis comes into play.
If Ireland are to fight back in the game, they will have to do so without their fast bowler, Boyd Rankin. He has not recovered from the illness that has swept through the Irish camp in recent days. Max Sorensen has been drafted into the side in Rankin's place.
West Indies also made two changes. Russell came in for Dwayne Bravo, who has a groin strain, while Darren Bravo replaced Dwayne Smith.
West Indies put in an improved performance in the field to improve their chances of Super Eight qualification © AFP
West Indies have earned themselves an excellent chance of securing a place in the Super Eights, having restricted Ireland to just 129 for 6 in the crucial Group B game in Colombo.
With both sides having lost their first game in the tournament, against Australia, the loser of this match will be eliminated and, at the halfway stage, West Indies were the happier of the two teams.
Having won the toss and inserted Ireland, West Indies enjoyed the perfect start. Fidel Edwards struck with the first ball of the match, a swift, inswinging yorker that proved too much for William Porterfield who, falling over to the off side, was bowled as he played around it. It meant that Porterfield, who was also dismissed by the first ball of the match against Australia, had suffered seven first ball dismissals in internationals; five in T20Is and two in ODIs.
Ed Joyce guided his first ball to third man and inside edged another boundary later in the over and, while Ravi Rampaul's first over cost just two, Paul Stirling began to find some fluency. Though his first boundary, a top-edged pull off Edwards, was a little fortuitous, he greeted Darren Sammy's introduction into the attack in just the fifth over by giving himself a little room and crashing a pair of fours through the covers. When rain intervened after five overs Ireland were well placed at 33 for 1.
Sunil Narine's spin bowling was introduced after the delay of just short of an hour, with the game reduced to 19 over per side. Narine soon showed his value, beating Joyce's outside edge with his first two deliveries and then bowling him as the batsmen attempted a sweep with his third. At the end of the Powerplay, Ireland were 35 for 2.
Sammy dismissed Stirling, top-edging an attempted pull, in the seventh over, and almost had Gary Wilson in similar fashion later in the same over. On this occasion, however, Wilson gloved the ball over the keeper's head and capitalised by sweeping Narine for one boundary and cover driving Russell for another. The introduction of Chris Gayle accounted for Wilson, though, when he edged an arm-ball to the keeper to leave Ireland 70 for 4 in the 12th over.
A partnership of 26 between Kevin and Niall O'Brien gave the Irish innings some impetus. Niall pulled one six off Andre Russell, while Kevin drove another off Edwards, but when Gayle beat Niall O'Brien with a quicker ball and Kevin O'Brien, in moving across his stumps to glance, was bowled by a yorker, Ireland's last recognised batsmen had gone.
Narine, perhaps unsettled by Nigel Jones carting him for six over long-on, donated a free-hit to the Irish cause by over-stepping in the penultimate over and Trent Johnston thrashed one six over long-on off Gayle, but Ireland's total may well prove some way short of par, particularly if Duckworth-Lewis comes into play.
If Ireland are to fight back in the game, they will have to do so without their fast bowler, Boyd Rankin. He has not recovered from the illness that has swept through the Irish camp in recent days. Max Sorensen has been drafted into the side in Rankin's place.
West Indies also made two changes. Russell came in for Dwayne Bravo, who has a groin strain, while Darren Bravo replaced Dwayne Smith.