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BRIDGETOWN: Sheldon Cottrell blasted a six off the penultimate ball to give the West Indies a thrilling one-wicket victory over Ireland in the second One-day International here at the Kensington Oval on Thursday.
Cottrell, best known for his fast bowling where wickets are celebrated with a flamboyant military salute, carted Mark Adair over cover for the winning runs as the home side lived on their nerves to finish on 242-9.
Victory gave the West Indies a 2-0 lead in the three-game series after winning the opener at the same ground on Tuesday by five wickets.
Despite Cottrell’s headline-stealing flourish, it was fellow tail-ender Hayden Walsh who was his team’s saviour.
In just his seventh one-dayer, Walsh, who started his international career last year playing for the US, finished undefeated on 46.
West Indies man-of-the-match Alzarri Joseph who took four wickets for the second game in a row as well as hitting a valuable 16 runs in a ninth-wicket stand with Walsh.
West Indies had been cruising at 140-3 at one stage in pursuit of a 238-run target.
However, a brief rain delay played havoc with their composure and three quick wickets fell for just eight runs.
Nicholas Pooran (52) and skipper Kieron Pollard (40) were dismissed without adding to their scores following the interruption having put on 64 for the fourth wicket.
Pooran made his runs off 44 balls with six fours as the higly-rated left-hander completed a sixth ODI half-century. He
was clean-bowled by off-spinner Simi Singh with the score on 140.
Pollard played a captain’s role, making 40 off 32 balls with two boundaries and four giant sixes.
The 32-year-old fell to a fine caught-and-bowled by Barry McCarthy for the addition of two further runs.
Khary Pierre (18), in only his third ODI, helped Walsh steady the ship in a 52-run partnership for the eighth wicket.
Earlier, opening batsman Paul Stirling top-scored with 63 as Ireland put up a challenging 237-9 off 50 overs on a wearing pitch.
Stirling hit seven boundaries and one six as he claimed his 24th ODI half-century.
Pace bowler Joseph finished with 4-32, identical figures from the first game, and also took two catches.
He claimed the wickets of Stirling as well as the dangerous Kevin O’Brien (31) in an impressive spell.
The third and final game is Sunday in Grenada.
Scoreboard
IRELAND:
P.R. Stirling b Joseph 63
G.J. Delany c Joseph b Cottrell 10
A. Balbirnie b Joseph 10
W.T.S. Porterfield c Joseph b Pierre 29
K.J. O’Brien c Cottrell b Joseph 31
L.J. Tucker c Lewis b Joseph 1
Simi Singh c Hope b Cottrell 34
M.R. Adair run out 13
A.R. McBrine lbw b Cottrell 8
B.J. McCarthy not out 17
W.B. Rankin not out 4
EXTRAS (LB-3, W-10) 13
TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 237
FALL OF WKTS: 1-25, 2-51, 3-110, 4-129, 5-135, 6-154, 7-192, 8-210, 9-224
BOWLING: Cottrell 10-0-51-3; Shepherd 10-1-39-0 (1w); Pierre 10-0-50-1 (1w); Joseph 10-1-32-4 (1w); Pollard 2-0-15-0 (2w); Walsh 8-0-47-0 (1w)
WEST INDIES:
S.D. Hope lbw b Simi Singh 25
E. Lewis c Rankin b McBrine 7
S.O. Hetmyer c Tucker b McCarthy 6
B.A. King c Tucker b Rankin 0
N. Pooran b Simi Singh 52
K.A. Pollard c and b McCarthy 40
R. Shepherd c Stirling b Simi Singh 8
K. Pierre c Stirling b McBrine 18
H.R. Walsh not out 46
A.S. Joseph c Stirling b Adair 16
S.S. Cottrell not out 7
EXTRAS (LB-9, W-8) 17
TOTAL (for nine wkts, 49.5 overs) 242
FALL OF WKTS: 1-17, 2-24, 3-24, 4-76, 5-140, 6-142, 7-148, 8-200, 9-232
BOWLING: McBrine 10-0-37-2 (2w); McCarthy 10-1-28-2; Rankin 10-0-36-1 (4w); Adair 7.5-0-51-1 (2w); Simi Singh 10-1-48-3; Delany 2-0-33-0
RESULT: West Indies won by one wicket to lead three-match series 2-0.
UMPIRES: J.S. Wilson (West Indies) and R.K. Illingworth (England)
TV UMPIRE: R.S.A. Palliyaguruge (Sri Lanka)
MATCH REFEREE: J.J. Crowe (New Zealand)
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Alzarri Joseph
FIRST MATCH: Bridgetown, West Indies won by five wickets.
THIRD MATCH: St George’s (Grenada), Sunday
Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2020
