Cricket One-day InternationalSome quality bowling from the new crop of Caribbean pacemen saved the blushes of the West Indies in Stormont yesterday. Set a very achievable target of 243 to win, Ireland struggled to handle the speed and the excellent lines of the Windies' attack, eventually being dismissed for just 146.
It was the first time most of the Irish had played in coloured clothing, and with the white ball, which tends to move a lot more through the air than the traditional red one. But these young West Indian bowlers are keen to impress coach Gus Logie at the start of this tour and Ian Bradshaw, Darren Sammy and, particularly, Ravi Rampaul bowled well.
While openers Jason Molins and Jeremy Bray strode to the wicket believing they were going to knock off the runs, the Windies' attack ruthlessly snuffed Ireland's challenge.
Earlier, a century from Brian Lara was the highlight of the otherwise mediocre West Indies innings with the batting maestro hitting 106 off just 99 balls, including 12 fours and four sixes. One of those big blows hit eight-year-old Curtis Cooke - son of Ireland all-rounder Gordon - on the head, and at the next break in play, Lara rushed to his victim, who was being treated, to present him with a pair of his batting gloves.
Lara survived a very confident lbw appeal before he had even got off the mark when an Adrian McCoubrey in-swinger hit him full on the big toe. And while still in single figures, Cooke was convinced he had him caught behind, but on both occasions umpire Trevor Henry kept his finger down.
Lara progressed slowly to 50 (off 72 balls) but he passed the 100 mark 24 balls later before he holed out to McCallan on the mid-on boundary off the bowling of Andrew White. It was not vintage Lara, but when he and Dwayne Bravo were at the crease, in excess of 300 looked odds on. They had come together after Ireland reduced the Windies to 40 for 3 with Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Devon Smith back in the pavilion.
The 2,500 or so spectators admired the 139-run stand between Lara and Bravo but enjoyed it even more when the Windies suffered one of their now-familiar collapses. Wickets fell at regular intervals after Lara went.
The Windies spluttered their way to a total of 242 all-out with Andre Botha and Gordon Cooke the pick of the Irish bowlers. Cooke ended up wicketless but bowled an excellent line, conceding just over three runs per over. But in the 42nd over he was stretchered off with a suspected broken left ankle.
At the interval, there was a bit of a buzz around the ground as an upset beckoned. It is two weeks short of 35 years ago that Ireland humbled the West Indies in Sion Mills and when Molins and Bray sped to 30 without loss off four overs, people dared to contemplate a similar result. But the West Indies young speedsters did not dare comply.
For today's second and final one-day international (Stormont, 10.45 a.m.), Ireland have drafted in Ryan Eagleson for Cooke and North County's John Mooney has moved from 12th man into the starting XI as Adrian McCoubrey aggravated a heel injury. Belfast Harlequins and Ireland under-19 international Gary Wilson makes up the 12.
