KINGSTON: Andy McBrine claimed four wickets and hit a half-century as Ireland achieved a historic series win over the West Indies after winning their deciding One-day International by two wickets at Sabina Park on Sunday.

McBrine took his total of wickets in the three matches to 10 as the West Indies were all out for 212 in 44.4 overs at Sabina Park. He then showed off his all-round talents by hitting a top score of 59 off 100 balls with six boundaries and a six.

Harry Tector also played his part in what was Ireland’s first away ODI series triumph against a fellow Test nation.

The 24-year-old finished with 52, his third successive half-century and seventh in his last 10 matches as Ireland reached a winning 214-8 in the 45th.

It was a remarkable end to a Covid-19-disrupted two-nation tour which began with Ireland’s own historic loss to a hosting United States in a Twenty20.

It’s a sad day for us and West Indies cricket,” admitted home skipper Kieron Pollard. We take responsibility and me too for the performance on the field. It’s a bitter pill to swallow.”

He added: “We just haven’t been up to standard. Now we need a holistic approach to go forward, not just on the field. It won’t happen tonight. We have to get together and decide where we want to take West Indies cricket.”

When McBrine departed in the 31st over, the 28-year-old all-rounder had taken Ireland to 152-3, helping his team recover from losing opener William Porterfield to the first ball of the innings to Alzarri Joseph.

Stand-in captain Paul Stirling, dropped before he scored by Jason Holder in the slips, made 44 off 38 balls with five boundaries and a six. He was out at 73-2.

McBrine’s second career half-century ended with a lazy swipe to Odean Smith which was gobbled up by Shai Hope behind the stumps.

Tector lifted Ireland, who were missing several players including regular captain Andy Balbirnie because of Covid, to the brink of victory when he was out at 197-6 in the 42nd over.

Two wickets in three balls by Akeal Hosein added some late drama, but tail-ender Craig Young completed Ireland’s triumph with a boundary for the match and series with 5.1 overs to spare.

It was a memorable series for McBrine — he also suffered concussion after being hit on the head in the first game.

After West Indies were put in, he claimed 4-28 from his 10 overs of off-spin.

The home side were 119-7 at one stage before former skipper Jason Holder (44) and Akeal Hosein (23) repaired some of the damage.

Hope top-scored with 53 off 39 balls, hitting nine fours and one six as he dominated an opening stand of 72 in 11 overs with Justin Greaves.

McBrine particularly shone when he removed Nicholas Pooran, Shamarh Brooks and Pollard in quick succession to put Ireland within touch of a famous series victory.

It means a lot as the last three, four weeks have not been easy,” said McBrine.“But we have show great spirit.”

West Indies won the first game by 24 runs before Ireland levelled the series with a five-wicket victory.

The matches form part of the qualifying path for the 2023 World Cup.

Scoreboard

WEST INDIES:

S. Hope c Little b Young 53

J. Greaves c Tector b Young 12

N. Pooran lbw McBrine 2

S. Brooks lbw McBrine 1

R. Chase c Stirling b Campher 19

K. Pollard c Porterfield b McBrine 3

J. Holder run out (Delany) 44

R. Shepherd c Adair b Dockrell 13

A. Hosein c&b McBrine 23

O. Smith not out 20

A. Joseph c Stirling b Young 6

EXTRAS (LB-7, NB-2, W-7) 16

TOTAL (all out, 44.4 overs) 212

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-72 (Hope), 2-76 (Greaves), 3-76 (Pooran), 4-85 (Brooks), 5-99 (Pollard), 6-101 (Chase), 7-119 (Shepherd), 8-182 (Holder), 9-192 (Hosein)

BOWLING: Little 9-1-55-0 (1w, 1nb), Adair 7-1-38-0 (4w), Young 7.4-0-43-3 (1w, 1nb), McBrine 10-2-28-4, Campher 4-0-14-1, Dockrell 3-0-11-1(1w), Stirling 4-0-16-0

IRELAND:

W. Porterfield c Hosein b Joseph 0

P. Stirling lbw Hosein 44

A. McBrine c Hope b Smith 59

H. Tector lbw Chase 52

N. Rock c Holder b Chase 2

C. Campher b Chase 11

G. Dockrell c Holder b Hosein 7

G. Delany c Brooks b Hosein 10

M. Adair not out 1

C. Young not out 5

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-22) 23

TOTAL (for eight wickets, 44.5 overs) 214

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-0 (Porterfield), 2-73 (Stirling), 3-152 (McBrine), 4-168 (Rock), 5-190 (Campher), 6-197 (Tector), 7-208 (Delany), 8-208 (Dockrell).

DID NOT BAT: J. Little

BOWLING: Joseph 10-1-35-1 (8w), Shepherd 6.5-0-28-0 (1w), Smith 3-0-23-1 (6w), Hosein 10-0-59-3 (2w), Holder 2-0-16-0, Pollard 3-0-8-0, Chase 10-0-44-3 (1w)

RESULT: Ireland win by two wickets.

SERIES: Ireland won 2-1.

UMPIRES: Gregory Brathwaite and Joel Wilson (both West Indies)

TV UMPIRE: Leslie Reifer (West Indies)

MATCH REFEREE: Richard Richardson (West Indies)

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2022