Windward Islands Vs Ireland..Queen’s Park Oval..2014-02-07 .1:30 pm
Zone A Windward Islands Vs Ireland
Venue: Queen’s Park Oval...Start Date: 2014-02-07.. 1:30 pm Local
Windward Islands
The reigning champions Windward Islands should have been the team to beat in this year’s Super50 tournament but injury to all-rounder Darren Sammy and the ban on prolific off-spinner Shane Shillingford could prove too much for them to overcome.
Shillingford was the best bowler in last year’s tournament with 17 wickets from six matches and his absence will leave a big hole in the Windwards’ bowling department. Sammy’s last minute pull-out was also a big blow but they still retain most of the players who defeated Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) in last year’s final at Kensington Oval, Barbados to clinch their first limited overs title in over a decade.
Key to their chances of a repeat are Andre Fletcher and Devon Smith, who topped the tournament averages last year scoring over 300 runs each, and as always their never say die attitude.
WINDWARD ISLANDS: Liam Sebastien (captain), Andre Fletcher (vice-captain), Johnson Charles (wicket-keeper), Tyron Theophille, Mervin Matthew, Craig Emmanuel, Garey Mathurin, Keddy Lesporis, Devon Smith, Dalton Polius, Delorn Johnson, Kenroy Peters, Romel Currency, Alston Bobb
Ireland
Ireland’s participation in the NAGICO Super50 is not just to make up numbers.
With their ongoing quest to join the top tier of international cricket, they will be looking to upstage some of the best teams in the Caribbean under the guidance of former West Indies player Phil Simmons.
The Super50 will provide the Irish with quality opposition ahead of the ICC World T20 to be held in Bangladesh later this year.
They have competed in the Caribbean before in the Twenty20 format with limited success but they could prove much more dangerous in the 50-over game, having upset England at the 2011 World Cup thanks to a Kevin O’Brien century.
IRELAND: William Porterfield (captain), Alex Cusack, George Dockrell, John Mooney, Tim Murtagh, Andrew McBrine, Kevin O’Brien, Niall O’Brien, Andrew Poynter, Max Sorensen, Paul Stirling, Stuart Thompson, Gary Wilson, Craig Young; Phil Simmons (coach)