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Andrew Balbirnie’s Century Anchors Ireland’s Crushing Victory Over West Indies in 1st ODI
Ireland Dominate West Indies to Take 1-0 Lead in ODI Series
Ireland kickstarted their three-match ODI series against West Indies with an emphatic 124-run win, powered by Andrew Balbirnie’s superb century and Barry McCarthy’s fiery spell. The opening ODI, held in Dublin, saw Ireland outplay the visitors in all departments, setting the tone for what promises to be a compelling series.
Balbirnie’s Ton and Top-Order Partnerships Set the Platform
Stirling and Balbirnie Lay a Solid Foundation
Opting to bat first, Ireland’s openers were cautious in their approach. Skipper Paul Stirling took 13 balls to get off the mark, while Balbirnie managed just 7 runs off his first 19 deliveries. However, once the duo settled, they shifted gears effectively. Stirling reached his fifty in just 61 balls, adding over 100 runs with Balbirnie for the first wicket.
Unfortunately for Ireland, Stirling’s innings was cut short just after his half-century when Roston Chase, the newly appointed West Indies Test captain, made an immediate impact with the ball.
Harry Tector and Balbirnie Push Ireland Past 300
Although debutant Cade Carmichael fell cheaply, Harry Tector stepped up with a steady innings. He and Balbirnie forged another vital partnership, anchoring the middle overs. Balbirnie, gaining momentum, took on Chase with back-to-back sixes and eventually reached his century — a masterful knock that lifted Ireland’s innings.
Tector unleashed a barrage of boundaries, and with ten overs remaining, Ireland stood tall at 220/2. Despite losing both set batters—Balbirnie for 112 and Tector for 56—Ireland managed to post a strong total of 303/6, thanks to Lorcan Tucker’s quick cameo in the death overs.
McCarthy’s Spell Shatters West Indies’ Chase
Early Collapse Kills the Chase
West Indies never truly recovered after a horrific start. Evin Lewis was needlessly run out, and Barry McCarthy wrecked the top order with a devastating spell, removing Keacy Carty, Brandon King, and Amir Jangoo in quick succession. At one stage, the scoreboard read a disastrous 31/5, with no signs of resistance.
Shai Hope’s dismissal just four balls later added to the chaos, leaving West Indies with a near-impossible task.
Greaves’ Fightback and Final Resistance
Justin Greaves provided brief entertainment with an aggressive 34 off 14 balls but couldn’t sustain his momentum, falling to Josh Little. Though Roston Chase and Matthew Forde added a defiant 98-run stand, it merely delayed the inevitable. Once George Dockrell ended the partnership, Ireland cleaned up the tail in a flash, securing a comprehensive 124-run win.
Ireland now leads the series 1-0 and will face West Indies in the second ODI on Friday at the same venue, eyeing a series win.
Brief Scores
Ireland: 303/6 in 50 overs (Andrew Balbirnie 112, Harry Tector 56, Paul Stirling 54; Matthew Forde 3/68)
West Indies: 179 in 34.1 overs (Roston Chase 55; Barry McCarthy 4/32)
Result: Ireland won by 124 runs.
For more updates on Ireland’s cricket fixtures and stats, visit our Ireland Cricket news section.
To read official match summaries and stats, visit ESPNcricinfo’s match report.
