Windies clear favourites tonight against Ireland

Apr 30, 2010 Sports

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…But Simmons hoping to spoil country-men’s party

By Sean Devers
Despite their shocking loss to New Zealand in their only warm-up game on Wednesday night after they appeared to have the match all wrapped up, host West Indies are clear favourites to beat ICC qualifiers Ireland in their opening match of the ICC 20/20 World Cup under lights at the Guyana National Stadium this evening.
An expectant capacity crowd should provide moral support to a team which has caused their fans numerous heartaches with their inconsistency and today, in the historic first-ever International match under lights in Guyana, the Chris Gayle unit will hope for a clinical performance ahead of what should be a much tougher game against England on Monday.
The West Indies game, which starts at 17:00hrs, is the main event for local fans on today’s double-header which sees last year’s runner-up Sri Lanka facing New Zealand from 13:00hrs after what promises to be a 45-minute energized Opening Celebration from 11:30hrs.
In their only meeting in a World event, West Indies beat Ireland on the D/L system in the 2007 World Cup in Jamaica where the Irish created one the biggest upsets in international sport when they knocked Pakistan out of the competition and progressed to the second stage of the tournament.
Ireland, who lost to Afghanistan in the final of the ICC World 20/20 Qualifiers in the United Arab Emirates to win a place in this competition, have had plenty of practice, but little success in the West Indies as they prepared for today’s encounter.
They have been in the Caribbean longer than any other team but have won just one of six tour games, lost an ODI to West Indies, and were defeated in both of their two warm-up 20/20 matches.
Repeating their first round win from the last 20/20 World Cup in England last year when they beat Bangladesh is highly unlikely even if the West Indian players are not at their best.
Ireland have lost all three of their ODI matches at Providence but their Coach Phil Simmons, the 47-year-old former Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies all-rounder, is anxious to spoil his country-men’s party this evening.
Simmons would probably remind his charges that Ireland in 2004, when Dwayne Bravo scored an unbeaten century to see West Indies to 292-7, and Ireland responded with 295-4 in 46.5 overs.
“It’s nice (for me) to be playing in the West Indies and for the players to be taking on England too,” Simmons said. “But this is the group we would have taken to; we are happy with that. From our point of view, it is about trying to improve our performance every time we take on teams at this level – and Twenty20 is no different.
Ireland have been grouped with West Indies and England during the initial phase of the event.
“I think it’s easier to pull off a shock in 20/20 because recovery time is less than in 50 overs,” said Simmons.  He feels his side is wiser going into the 3rd 20/20 World Cup than they were in England last year and is aiming for an upset or two.
Trent Johnson was Ireland’s Skipper when they shocked Pakistan in Jamaica and he has top scored in the last 3 20/20 Internationals his side has played while no Irish bowler had more wickets than him in the qualifying tournament.
Opener William Porterfield, with 100ODIs to his name, is the Irish Captain now, but Johnson remains a key member of the team which will depend heavily on Porterfield, Niall O’Brian, Kevin O’Brian, Andre Botha and Paul Sterling to give their batting impetus.
Towering fast bowler Boyd Rankin impressed in the 2007 World Cup and along with Johnson, Botha and talented 17-year-old left-arm spinner George Dockrell will hope to restrict the powerful West Indies batting.
Skipper Chris Gayle scored a pugnacious 117 against host South Africa in the inaugural 20/20 Cup 3 years ago and along with New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum are the only batsmen with 20/20 International centuries and with his explosive style and recent IPL experience is one of the most dangerous batsmen in this format.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul showed his versatility in the warm-up game against New Zealand with a brutal 53 and he and his Captain would want to gave their team another solid foundation and hope that middle order, which included the elegant Ramnaresh Sarwan, Narsingh Deonarine, Dwayne Bravo, Darren Sammy, and the big-hitting Kieron Pollard fire.
It is hoped that Keeper Denish Ramdin finds a way to get the ball away and that the lower order than keep their nerves in the event of a close finish while on a track which should provide some early bounce and carry with the new ball and turn for the spinners.  Sulieman Benn who has opened the bowling with great success could again play a key role with his left arm spin.
The West Indies could also use two left-arm spinners on the Providence surface and give Nikita Miller a game with Deonarine and Gayle also being spinning options.
Ravi Rampaul, Sammy, Bravo and Pollard could provide the faster stuff.
The traffic arrangements for Wednesday’s practice games were much better than for the first game with only one of the two lanes on the Eastern part of the East Bank Highway being used as a priority route instead of both lanes which were used for vehicles with Stadium passes on Tuesday and an entire day of fun and frolic is anticipated in what should be overcast conditions with scattered thunderstorms.
However, Providence is the fastest drying ground in the Region and once the rain stops and the square is properly covered, play can be accommodated 5 minutes later.

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