Group D - West Indies, England, Ireland

[Uppercut]

Given that Ireland have been beaten by both Jamaica and Trinidad in the warmups, I'd say yes....

They stuffed Trinidad in the other warm-up too tbf.

Ireland will really struggle on this pitch though, terrible record in these conditions. If West and McCallan were still around I could see us at least giving the Windies a bit of trouble with the ball, even if we flopped with the bat. But it's asking a lot of George Dockrell to do the job in spinning conditions.

Anything can happen, but tbh we're a long shot in this one. Would be remarkable if we pulled something off.

 

[King Pietersen]

*facepalm* Sky are highlighting the wrong players. Talked about Dilshan alot prior to the Sri Lankan innings and then showed a Dwayne Bravo highlight package before the break. As much as I think he's over-rated, Keiron Pollard should have been the guy spotlighted. He's in excellent form, is one of the most dynamic and powerful strikers of a cricket ball in the world, handy with the ball and brilliant in the field. He's far more likely to succeed than Bravo given recent form.

Hope this doesn't come back to bite the West Indies. They've left out Gayle, Benn and Taylor due to what appear to be minor niggles. 3 very important players for them. Hopefully Ireland give them a good game as the West Indies don't appear to be taking them 100% seriously.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Gayle, Benn & Taylor out. Hmm. "Injuries" but I bet they'd have played v England.

 

[Uppercut]

Needless to say, no Gayle makes me a lot more comfortable. Second to none at utterly annihilating Ireland's level of bowling.

 

[NasserFan207]

Whats wrong with Gayle?

edit: Stiff neck LMAO. Look at him just chilling out on the balcony.

 

[TT Boy]

Alec Stewart looking fit as a fiddle.

Gayle "chilling".

 

[TT Boy]

Surprised with the two slips. They need to go.

 

[TT Boy]

Down to one.

 

[NasserFan207]

Pretty good start from Ireland.

 

[NasserFan207]

Got im!

 

[NasserFan207]

WI 43/2 now in the 6th over. Even stevens so far imo.

 

[Woodster]

Bravo gone, to one of the luckier catches you will see. Decent wicket though, looked in decent nick there Bravo. I'm more a Pollard fan, I agree with KP, there are few batsmen that hit a ball as clean, hoping he gives us a bit of an exhibition tonight.

Some decent Irish players in their side, enough possibly to make it quite interesting.

 

[NasserFan207]

That catch was up there with Taylor's.

 

[Uppercut]

Surprised with the two slips. They need to go.

The idea is that Rankin is so much more threatening than the others. With a bit of luck you could see him nabbing two or three early on and setting up the game for us.

Completely agree though. The ball's never carrying to slip on this pitch.

 

[NasserFan207]

Heard some good things about this Dockrell kid.

Interested to see how he goes.

 

[Woodster]

Looked ok in that first over young Dockrell. Not giving a lot of flight, but the odd one keeping low. A difficult assignment up against Sarwan who looks full of innovation in terms of angling the bat, working the gaps, little chips here and there, nothing too unorthodox, but clever all the same.

 

[NasserFan207]

Yeah, tough ask for a 17 year old spinner to bowl to Sarwan. He's been our chief tormenter as of late.

 

[Woodster]

Wicket for Dockrell, Fletcher through his shot too soon, got the elevation but not the distance, good work by the spinner.

 

[NasserFan207]

Well now I look pretty stupid.

 

[Woodster]

Sarwan now gone in similar fashion but he was trying to go through the offside. Very good bowling from Dockrell, teasing the batsmen into the strokes, and winning.