ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: Ireland vs West Indies, Pool B match at Nelson in caricatures

“The term an upset, anything from minnows to associate, I don’t see why a team has to be an associate or a team has to be a full member. Sure you’re ranked one to whatever but it’s not like that in any other sport and I don’t see why it has to be like that in ours,” said Ireland skipper William Porterfield after his side’s empathic four-wicket win against West Indies in both the team’s opening match in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 at Nelson, New Zealand. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: Full coverage

While Ireland might not want to term this as an upset, to West Indies, the two time World Cup winners, it certainly was. They may not have things going right for them in the past couple of months, but when the teams took on each other at the picturesque Saxton Oval in Nelson, West Indies were clear favourites to start with.

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However that tag wasn’t apparent when the contest began. Ireland chose to field and West Indies found it really tough to negotiate the Irish bowlers, who were nothing spectacular but extremely disciplined. Even the great Chris Gayle had to crawl his way to 36 from 65 before giving away his wicket after failing to execute an ambitious shot. Irish spinners – Andy McBrine (10-1-26-0) and George Dockrell (10-0-50-3) combined well to reduce West Indies to 87 for five in the 24th over. While Dockrell picked up wickets, McBrine was at his miserly best.

Thereon, former West Indies captain Darren Sammy staged a remarkable recovery with Lendl Simmons, adding 154 runs for the sixth wicket. While Sammy scored 89 from just 67 balls, Simmons went on to score an 84-ball 102. The extraordinary comeback saw them put up 304.

Ireland got off to a solid start, while Porterfield held one end, Paul Stirling played his natural game and never ever did Ireland look uncomfortable during the chase. Stirling fell eight short of a well deserved hundred and consumed only 84 balls for the same. He added 106 with Ed Joyce, who scored 84 from just 67 balls. Joyce later added 96 with Niall O’Brien who butchered his way to an unbeaten 79 from just 60 balls to see Ireland through comfortably in the 46th over.

The thumping win not only will make their other opponents take them seriously, but it’s also a step closer for them to become a full-member, something they truly deserve.  In fact there have been only five successful 300 plus run chases in the World Cup and list includes Ireland thrice (329 against England in 2011, 307 against Netherlands in 2011 and 307 against West Indies in 2015).

On Monday, almost the entire cricketing world supported Ireland and they reciprocated the faith.

Brief scores:

West Indies 304 for 7 in 50 overs (Lendl Simmons 102, Darren Sammy 89, George Dockrell 3-50) lost to Ireland 307 for 6 in 45.5 overs (Paul Striling 92, Ed Joyce 84, Niall O’Brien 79*, Jerome Taylor 3-71) by four wickets