It was a three-figure day for West Indies yesterday that had satisfaction written all over it.
The hosts ended the Group D first round series with a 100 percent record and got finally got the individual century that was missing from their World Cup campaign over the last two weeks.
They rolled over Ireland to post their third win in three games as one of their more dedicated servants Shivnarine Chanderpaul cracked an excellent unbeaten 102 to set the stage for a smooth passage to the Super Eight second round.
Eventually Ireland were made to look like the minnows they entered the World Cup as, managing a meagre 183 in their allotted 48 overs in a rain reduced one-sided affair.
It took the two-time champions a mere 38.1 overs to overhaul a Duckworth/Lewis revised 190-run target with Chanderpaul and Marlon Samuels ending in a blaze of glory.
The packed Sabina crowd called for a six to seal the victory and Samuels duly obliged, lofting part-time spinner Andrew White into the crowd at long-on for his 27th run, much to their glee.
Coming off two small scores against Zimbabwe and Pakistan, Chanderpaul said he was aiming for a big innings before leaving Jamaica and he made full use of the opportunity provided by the uninspiring Ireland attack.
The Guyanese took control early, asserting himself after big hitting opening partner Chris Gayle attacked once too often before being caught off Dave Langford-Smith for 18.
When he is in the mood Chanderpaul can be devastating and he came close to that state midway in the knock.
On two occasions he stepped on the gas pedal, crashing four consecutive fours off paceman Boyd Rankin and later on blasting Andre Botha for two fours and a six off three balls.
Ramnaresh Sarwan, normally a free scorer was made into a bystander most of the time. He was content to allow his Guyanese compatriot to steal the limelight and when he decided to up the ante, he was caught on the midwicket boundary attempting one six too many.
They shared in a 119-run second wicket partnership with Sarwan contributing a mere 36, such was Chanderpaul’s dominance.
His knocked lasted only 113 balls and counted 10 fours and four sixes and his Man of the Match award was a mere formality.
Earlier, the West Indies bowlers did not fire on all cylinders but they were good enough to keep the Irish under their thumbs.
Jerome Taylor got a few of his in-swinging darters going early on that frequently left the Irish top order at sea. They were frequently disconcerted by a barrage of short pitch bowling especially from Powell which would’ve been punished by more accomplished batsmen.
Later when Ian Bradshaw joined forces with Powell the run rate was reduced to a snail’s pace.
Chris Gayle found the opposition to his liking with his slow right arm off-spin and was the most miserly of the lot, ending with two wickets for 27 runs off his 10.
Dwayne Bravo came on later in the innings and set himself up for the hat trick with wickets in the middle of his spell that was the most expensive of the lot, going for 35 off his seven overs.
Such was the control the bowlers exerted there was no need to use fourth seamer Dwayne Smith as Bradshaw lapped up the opportunity for a bowl, on his return to the team at the expense of Corey Collymore, returning impressive figures of 1-27 off nine overs.
Ireland’s innings was a struggle from the beginning as they were unable to consolidate with any authority.
Bray fought hard for 47 but it was a laborious knock and although he shared in a second wicket partnership of 58 with Eion Morgan it only held up the inevitable slide.
The West Indies batsmen then made it a well rounded job for the home team who must have sent defending champions Australia a warning before their epic Super Eight clash in Antigua.
