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Ireland chase down West Indies in Kingston rain to level ODI series

Andy McBrine and Harry Tector shine as tourists win by five wickets at Sabina Park

Harry Tector finished unbeaten on 54 at Sabina Park. Photograph: Cricket Ireland

Fri Jan 14 2022 - 07:25

Second ODI, Sabina Park: Ireland 168-5 off 32.3 overs (H Tector 54*, A McBrine 35) beat the West Indies 229 all out off 48 overs (R Shepherd 50, A McBrine 4-36) by five wickets with 21 balls remaining (D/L method).

Ireland have levelled the ODI series with the West Indies at 1-1 after a comfortable five-wicket victory, via the Dukworth-Lewis method, in the second one-day international at Sabina Park in Kingstown.

While there were a number of key contributors to the visiting side’s victory, Andy McBrine’s and Harry Tector’s contributions stood out at a cricket ground that has produced many happy memories for Irish fans over the years.

McBrine bowled beautifully - he was controlled, economical, and crucially claimed four wickets, then came out with the bat and made a well-crafted 35, which helped propel Ireland to the win.

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Meanwhile, Tector continued his stunning run of form in the 50-over format hitting his sixth ODI half-century in his last nine innings. His 54* was near faultless, showing an array of shots around the ground, as well as a number of sublimely-timed drives through the off-side.

Earlier in the day, with Ireland captain Andrew Balbirnie sidelined from this match with Covid-19, stand-in captain Paul Stirling won the toss and elected to bat under early morning cloudless skies.

Three early wickets fell - two of which were overturned on review after being given not out. Craig Young was the early dangerman with the ball, claiming 3-12 in his first 4 over spell - he nicked off Shai Hope (17), bowled Justin Greaves (10), and then trapped Nicholas Pooran (1) in front.

After a steadying 48-run fourth wicket stand between Shamarh Brooks and Roston Chase (13), Stirling was back in the thick of the action with a spectacular reflex catch of Chase off Andy McBrine.

McBrine had bowled tightly coming around the wicket to the right-handers, but switched over-the-wicket and claimed the prize wicket of Pollard the very next ball for one. Pollard fell with the score on 93-5, and was soon followed back to the pavilion by all-rounder Jason Holder, nicking off to Josh Little for three.

Stirling kept his attacking fields and was rewarded with the wicket of Brooks for 43 - trapped LBW trying to sweep the left-armer Dockrell.

However, taking a counter-attacking approach, Romario Shepherd (50 off 41 balls) and Odean Smith (49 off 19 balls) put on late runs. The pair combined for a ninth wicket stand of 58 from 27 balls - carrying West Indies beyond 200 and giving their side a chance on a pitch that increasingly looked good for batting.

McBrine’s 4-29 was his second-best bowling figures in ODI cricket and moved him into fifth place on Ireland’s all-time ODI wicket-taking list.

Ireland’s response started brightly with Stirling (21) and William Porterfield (26) putting on a 37-run stand in 30 balls, before Stirling lunged forward to off-spinner Hosein and edged it to Holder at first slip. During the innings Stirling became the first batter for Ireland to register 5,000 career ODI runs.

Porterfield looked to maintain the aggressive start - striking three boundaries and a pick-up pull shot for six over the fine leg boundary. His dismissal on the last ball of the 10th over left Ireland 60-2, but McBrine and Tector buckled down and stabilised the innings with seeming ease.

After a five over period of ticking the scoreboard over, McBrine began to up the scoring tempo, at one point hitting Hosein for a six and four in consecutive balls in the 19th over - both shots played long and high down the ground, showing a good use of his feet as he came forward to meet the ball on the half-volley.

But the very next over, after slapping a boundary to the mid-wicket boundary, McBrine received a fierce short ball from Shepherd and he top-edged to straight to the fine leg fielder out for 35.

Curtis Campher joined Tector and the pair put on 53 runs - Tector hitting 37 of those runs - before Campher was bowled by Hosein, stepping back to cut a ball that hurried onto him. Tector brought up his sixth ODI half-century in the last nine matches off 61 balls, before rain intervened and players left the field for an hour.

When play resumed, the adjusted target due to overs lost was 168, meaning the Irish batters required 11 runs from 28 balls. This they knocked off comfortably, with Tector remaining not out on 54.

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