West Indies thrashed Ireland by 70 runs as the host got its World Twenty20 campaign off to a winning start under the floodlights here on Friday.
Qualifier Ireland was bowled out for just 68 inside 17 overs, with Man-of-the-Match Darren Sammy taking three wickets for eight runs to add to the all-rounder's top score of 30 in West Indies' 138 for nine.
Ireland saw 17-year-old off-spinner George Dockrell take three for 16 after West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo, deputising for the injured Chris Gayle, won the toss and batted.
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But its top order had no answer to fast bowler Ravi Rampaul, who sparked Ireland's collapse with three for 17.
For Ireland captain William Porterfield, it was very much a game of two innings. “We were right in it at half-time, it was just disappointing with the bat,” Porterfield said. “We lost four wickets in the first 21 balls. We were right on the backfoot from there and the wicket was always going to get lower and harder to score on.
“We can be positive about the way young Dockrell bowled and it could be a straight shoot-out between ourselves and England when we play them,” Porterfield added.
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First blow
Kemar Roach struck the first blow for the West Indies when he had Porterfield caught at slip by Sammy. Sammy again showed safe hands when he caught Paul Stirling for nought off Rampaul in the next over and when Rampaul had Niall O'Brien caught behind for six, Ireland was 11 for three.
A rain break offered brief respite but Ireland was soon in more trouble at 16 for four when Alex Cusack edged to Sammy.
The all-rounder came on in the ninth over and any doubts about the Man-of-the-Match award were settled when he removed Kevin O'Brien first ball. Sammy took a fourth catch to get rid of Gary Wilson and ended the match when he bowled Dockrell, in a stark reminder of cricket's highs and lows, for a duck. Extras, with 19, was the best score of an innings where Wilson made 17.
The Netherlands got last year's World Twenty20 off to a shock start by beating England at Lord's and Ireland was dreaming of another giant-killing at the half-way stage.
Dockrell struck twice in three balls to remove opener Andre Fletcher and senior batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan before having Narsingh Deonarine caught behind.
The West Indies, without captain and dynamic opener Gayle due to muscle stiffness, saw senior batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul (14) fall first, immediately after striking two successive fours off Boyd Rankin. It was a similar story for Bravo (18), who a ball after hitting Alex Cusack for six gave the Brisbane born all-rounder a return catch.
Dockrell then took centrestage, having Fletcher, opening in Gayle's place, caught for 19 at deep backward point. And, two balls later, Dockrell struck again when Sarwan was caught for 24 to leave the West Indies 77 for four. West Indies faces England on Monday with Ireland up against the same opponent on Tuesday in the final Group ‘D' match.