ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 - 5th Match
(Pool B: Ireland vs West Indies at Nelson)
Joyful Ireland deepen West Indies turmoil
| West Indies | vs | Ireland |
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| 304/7 (50) | 307/6 (45.5) | |
| Ireland won by 4 wickets | ||
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| Photo © ICC |
Ireland put the world in the cup as the obliging West Indies sleepwalked to an embarrassing - does it embarrass them anymore, though? - defeat during which only Darren Sammy and Lendl Simmons seemed awake in rescuing them from 87 for 5. The West Indies bowling was as flat as their top order as the adventurous Paul Stirling, smooth Ed Joyce and nerveless Niall O'Brien coasted to the target of 305 efficiently and without any anxiety despite a late wobble that came too late. Fittingly the most compelling story played itself out in Nelson, whose population is 45000 and whose cricket ground, the Saxton Oval, holds a maximum of 6000.
There was immense joy as Ireland's discipline and nous stood in a two-finger salute to the administrators' plans to keep them and other smaller cricket teams out of the World Cup. There was grief too as West Indies showed for the most of the match a lack of application, fight and cricketing smarts. It was almost as if they had a long night out in Nelson but forgot to invite Sammy and Simmons. Only rarely do two men win matches against teams that maximise their resources as Ireland do.
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| Photo © ICC |
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