West Indies started the three-match ODI series against Ireland in a winning fashion as Shamarh Brooks registered his highest ODI score on debut to help his team overcome a jittery start and post a winning total on board. If it was not for his 89 ball 93, it would have been difficult for West Indies to 269.
Ireland, while chasing the total had the worst possible start as it lost its experienced William Porterfield for nought. However, after that, skipper Andrew Balbirnie and Andy McBrine had a 61 run partnership before the latter was retired hurt. Balbirnie then built a 104 run partnership with Harry Tector and got the chase run.
However, as the pressure of the required rate kept mounting, both the skipper and Tector couldn’t keep up with it and got out trying to accelerate the scoring rate. From 165-2, Ireland were suddenly 194-7, losing wickets in a flurry. George Dockrell and Mark Adair tried their level best to get on with the chase, but it was all too little too less as the entire green brigade was all out on 245 in the 49th over. They lost the game by 24 runs.
For West Indies, Alzarri Joseph and Romario Shepherd picked two wickets each while Odean Smith took two wickets, including the last one of Dockrell.
Earlier in the day, after West Indies lost their top four for a team score of just 64 runs, Brooks and skipper Kieron Pollard got together to stabilise the innings and added 155 for the fifth wicket. However Pollard was caught on the boundary in the 42nd over and that brought a halt to scoring as other players including Brooks fell even before the full quota of 50 overs was completed, with the team score at 269.
Fast bowlers Mark Adair, Craig Young took three wickets each for Ireland, while spinner McBrine dismissed Nicholas Pooran and Roston Chase. The second ODI will be played at Sabina Park on Tuesday, January 11th.