Hosts too strong for Irish

23 March 2007

Shivnarine Chanderpaul blasts his way to a gloriously timed hundred © Getty Images

Shivnarine Chanderpaul smashed his sixth one-day international century as West Indies marched to an eight-wicket victory over Ireland in Jamaica.

The hosts were set a rain-adjusted target of 190 from 48 overs after an excellent bowling display restricted Ireland to just 183 for eight.

And West Indies cruised home with 9.5 overs remaining as Chanderpaul struck 10 fours and four sixes en route to an unbeaten 102 from 113 deliveries.

Both West Indies and Ireland had already qualified for the Super Eight stage but victory ensures Brian Lara's men carry with them two vital points.

Ireland, who had progressed from Group D on the back of a tie with Zimbabwe and a shock victory over 1992 champions Pakistan, beat West Indies by six wickets at Stormont in 2004.

But in front of a vociferous Jamaican crowd there were never any signs of a repeat performance as Daren Powell, Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo claimed two wickets apiece.

Dwayne Bravo claims a wicket as the home side take control of the match © Getty Images

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Opener Jeremy Bray and Middlesex's Eoin Morgan did build a solid second-wicket stand of 58 as Ireland recovered from the early loss of William Porterfield.

But the West Indies attack, led by a fierce spell from Powell, began to restrict the runs and cranked up the pressure with some tight bowling.

Morgan was the first to crack, top-edging a pull off Powell to be caught brilliantly on the run by wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin.

Niall O'Brien struck two boundaries before Ian Bradshaw, making his first appearance of the World Cup, found his outside edge as he pushed outside off stump.

Bray, a centurion in the tie with Zimbabwe, was Ireland's anchor and struck seven boundaries as he reached 41.

He survived a dropped catch by Marlon Samuels when on 34 but was eventually undone by Jerome Taylor's slower ball, which he drove to mid-off.

Gayle then took charge, conceding just 23 in singles from 10 overs as West Indies turned the screw.

Kevin O'Brien succumbed to the pressure and was caught at mid-wicket for 17 as he looked to heave Gayle out of the ground.

Andre Botha top-edged an attempted pull, which Ramdin caught in the gully region and, after the rain interval, Bravo removed Andrew White and John Mooney with successive balls.

Gayle set about the revised target with a quick-fire 18 before holing out to mid-off from a Dave Langford-Smith slower ball.

With Ramnaresh Sarwan struggling for form, Chanderpaul assumed control, racing to a 52-ball half century with four successive boundaries from one Boyd Rankin over and a delightful straight six off Botha.

Chanderpaul continued in the same vein, dispatching Botha for another maximum, and contributed 80 to a second-wicket partnership of 119 with shots to all corners of Sabina Park.

The stand was ended only when Sarwan was caught in the deep off Kyle McCallan, the most impressive of Ireland's bowlers, for 36.

Chanderpaul became more circumspect as his first World Cup century and West Indies' victory target neared.

A boundary to third man took him to 99 and he brought up three figures, off 107 deliveries, with a simple push to mid-off.

Samuels finished with a flowing 27 not out and sealed the victory with a six over mid-wicket.