(Cricket news) Ireland Men have won their first-ever one-day international series away from home over an ICC Full Member after recording a two-wicket victory over the West Indies at Sabina Park in Kingston today. For the third time in succession, Ireland won the toss and chose to bowl first.

Shai Hope went on the attack, blasting balls to all parts of the stadium. Hope was particularly aggressive with Josh Little, feeding off the extra pace and width on offer. He brought up his half-century off just 37 balls, with 9 fours and a six.

Hope’s dismissal caused a middle-order collapse with West Indies losing 7-57 in the next 17 overs. Young claimed two wickets, but the chief destroyer was off-spinner Andy McBrine. He had Nicholas Pooran and Shamarh Brooks both trapped in front, and set up the perfect delivery to Kieron Pollard, who was caught by William Porterfield.

George Dockrell chipped in for a wicket to dismiss the dangerous Romario Shepherd – Dockrell’s 150th List A wicket – and the home side’s innings was seemingly adrift at 119-7 in the 28th over. It was then that former West Indian captain Jason Holder took the responsibility – he and Akeal Hosein put on 63 for the eighth wicket in a face-saving stand for the Caribbean side.. Gareth Delany with a superb flat throw from deep square leg and Neil Rock’s quick hands catching the tall Barbadian all-rounder short of his crease.

The West Indian side were bowled out for 212 in the 45th over – the third time in the series Ireland has dismissed the home side before they batted out their allotted overs. This is the first time Ireland Men have bowled out a Full Member in three successive matches. Bowling honours once more went to Andy McBrine – the off-spinner finished with 4-28 from 10 overs. McBrine’s series haul of 10 wickets at 11.6 apiece was an excellent return. Having lost fellow spinners Simi Singh and Ben White for the series due to Covid infections, Ireland needed McBrine to stand up – and that he did, with two four-wicket hauls the last two matches.

With 213 the target, Ireland lost opener Porterfield from the first ball of the innings – upper-cutting a ball from Joseph that flew straight to Hosein at Third. Stirling regained momentum with a quickfire 44 from 38 balls. Aided by the more circumspect McBrine, the pair put on 73 for the second wicket from 77 balls. However, looking certain to register his 27th ODI half-century, Stirling missed a tossed up ball by spinner Hosein and was trapped in front. Given not out, the bowling side sought a review, which shortly after saw the Irish skipper walking back to the pavilion.

McBrine was joined by the in-form Harry Tector who had scored six half-centuries in his last nine innings. McBrine looked increasingly confident as his innings grew and he brought up his second career ODI half-century from 89 balls. Shortly after, the left-handed McBrine flashed at a bouncing ball outside off stump and edged through to the keeper, out for 59 but the victory was at sight.

Tector registered his third half-century of the series, but there was again danger lurking as the score went from 190-4 to 208-8. It was nervous times for all Ireland’s fans as Mark Adair and Craig Young stood at the crease. Fortunately, Young steered the winning runs away to the boundary off Shepherd and the Men in Green had won their first ODI series win away from home against a Full Member.

Andy McBrine said after the game:

“It means a lot to the team – the last 3 to 4 weeks hasn’t been easy on us, but there’s a fighting spirit left in us and we showed that today. There was a nice bit of spin in the pitch today – I  just had to change up my lengths and keep it as simple as possible and force them to make mistakes – and that has happened in the last three games. I struggled a bit to get my timing with the bat, I just ground it out and waited for my ball as much as I could. Harry and I kept things simple, we were always up above the required rate, so didn’t need to lapse into anything we didn’t need to. “Player of the Series” means a lot personally, but I’m firstly just trying to contribute what I can to the team.”

After the match, Stirling said:

“We’re delighted, it’s not every day we go on away trips and turn over a side like the West Indies. Really proud of the lads that we can go 1-nil down in the series and come back to win the next two games and take the series. We may have been fortunate to win the toss three times, but we still had to go out and perform, so we’re delighted. We’re a pretty tight unit, we always have been, it’s one of our strengths.

West Indies Men v Ireland Men, 3rd ODI, Sabina Park, Jamaica, 16 January 2022  

West Indies 212 (44.4 overs: S Hope 53, J Holder 44; A McBrine 4-28, C Young 3-43)

Ireland 214-8 (44.5 overs: A McBrine 59, H Tector 52, P Stirling 44; A Hosein 3-59)  

Ireland Men won by 2 wickets

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