Ireland cruelly denied chance to advance in T20 World Cup
As the West Indies didn’t get the chance to reply to Ireland’s 129 for 6, the game was declared a no result and both teams got a point a piece.
The West Indies had a superior net run rate than Ireland after their defeat to Australia, and as a result, they progress to the Super 8’s and Ireland have to pack their bags today.
The monsoon season is having a huge affect on the tournament as it’s the second group B game in-a-row called off due to torrential rain in Colombo and questions must be asked why the finals are being played in Sri Lanka at this time of the year,
“The most disappointing aspect is not the game being abandoned against the West Indies, it was the way we played against Australia,” said skipper William Porterfield afterwards.
“We will be without Boyd Rankin (who is retiring from Irish cricket) and Trent Johnston is coming towards the end of his career, but I still think the future is bright for Irish cricket and we must now turn our attention to qualifying for the 50 overs World Cup in Australia in 2015
West Indies captain Darren Sammy won the toss and they decided to put Ireland into bat with Max Sorenson drafted into the Ireland 11 for the ill Boyd Rankin as the only change from the defeat to Australia
Once again it was a disastrous start for Ireland innings and Porterfield who was bowled first ball by Fidel Edwards, the third time in a row that Porterfield was out first ball to a test playing nation.
Paul Sterling and Ed Joyce nudged the score onto 33 for the second wicket, in between was a long delay for rain before Joyce was bowled around his legs for 17 by spinner Sunil Narine
A lot was resting on the shoulders of Sterling after the dismissal of Joyce but he perished shortly afterwards off the bowling of Darren Sammy for 19 as he chipped one to Chris Gayle standing at mid on.
Niall O’Brien and Gary Wilson took the score to 70 before Wilson was out, caught behind off the bowling of Chris Gayle for 21.
Kevin O’Brien was the last Irish batsman to fall when he went for 13 bowled around his legs by Ravi Rampaul as Ireland tried to get towards a challenging target.
A sixth wicket cameo from Trent Johnstone who made 15 off 10 deliveries and Nigel Jones who was unbeaten on 14 from 11 balls eventually took Ireland to 129 for 6 at the end of the 19 overs.
However at the end of Ireland’s innings, the heavens opened and the ground staff scampered quickly onto the playing area to completely cover the ground.
The decision was then made at 10.30pm local time to abandon the match and it was declared a no result with the West Indies now off to Kandy to face England in the first game of the Super 8’s on Thursday.
