T20 WC: West Indies restrict Ireland to 129/6

Chris Gayle was the most successful bowler with figures of two for 21 while Ravi Rampaul,captain Darren Sammy,Fidel Edwards and Sunil Narine got a wicket apiece after the West Indian skipper opted to field.

Ireland captain William Porterfield was again out of the very first ball of the match. After Shane Watson got rid off him with a perfect bouncer in their last game,it was Fidel Edwards’ turn to clean him up with a lethal yorker which he failed to dig out.

Paul Stirling (19) and Ed Joyce (17) then hit a few lusty blows as Ireland reached 33 for one after five overs when steady drizzle stopped play.

After a break of nearly an hour,the proceedings started once again and off-spinner Narine removed Joyce. It was an off-break which saw the left-hander getting bowled round his legs.

Stirling,who was in a mood to hit every ball out of sight tried to pull one from Sammy but only managed to offer a simple catch to Gayle at mid-wicket.

At 37 for three,Niall O’Brien and Gary Wilson got together and added 33 for the fourth wicket before bowling change by Sammy did the trick.

Gayle was brought in to bowl his fast off-breaks. Wilson,who scored 21 with help of three boundaries went for an ambitious cut shot but only managed to edge one to Denesh Ramdin behind the stumps.

The highlight of that dismissal was that of a happy Gayle breaking into an impromptu jig that resembled ‘bhangra’.

The O’Brien brothers then got together. Niall played the hook shot off Andre Russell’s bowling that fetched him a six while Kevin lofted a length delivery from Edwards over long-off.

At 96 for 4,it was Gayle,who bowled an accurate delivery right in the blockhole to Niall that disturbed his off-stump. The Irish batsman scored 25 off 21 balls with the help of a solitary six.

Kevin followed suit when his pre-meditated shuffle outside off-stump to a Rampaul delivery saw his off-stump uprooted.

Nigel Jones (14) and Trent Johnston (15) then added 22 runs for the unbroken seventh-wicket partnership to take Ireland forward.

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Rain stops play in Ireland vs West Indies game

Ireland were 33 for one in five overs against the West Indies when rain stopped play in the Group B cricket match of the ICC World Twenty20,here today.

Ed Joyce (17) and Paul Stirling (16) were at the crease for Ireland.

Ireland lose opener William Porterfield in the very first ball of the match when he was bowled by Fidel Edwards.

West Indies had won the toss and invited Ireland to bat,keeping in mind the weather conditions.

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West Indies win toss,invite Ireland to bat

West Indies skipper Darren Sammy won the toss and opted to field against Ireland in the Group B cricket match of the ICC World Twenty20,here today.

West Indies have made two changes to their side bringing in Andre Russell for the injured Dwayne Bravo and Darren Bravo replacing Dwayne Smith.

Ireland have made one change,with Boyd Rankin failing to recover from his stomach bug and Max Sorensen coming into the side.

Teams:

West Indies: Chris Gayle,Johnson Charles,Darren Bravo,Marlon Samuels,Kieron Pollard,Andre Russell,Darren Sammy (C),Denesh Ramdin,Sunil Narine,Ravi Rampaul and Fidel Edwards.

Ireland: William Porterfield (c),Paul Stirling,Ed Joyce,Niall O’Brien,Gary Wilson,Kevin O’Brien,Trent Johnston,Alex Cusack,Max Sorensen,George Dockrell and Nigel Jones.