KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Ramnaresh Sarwan eliminated lingering concerns about his match and physical fitness with his fourth One-day International hundred against Ireland in the Jamaica Cricket Festival yesterday.
Sarwan struck 11 fours in an even, undefeated 100 from 119 balls, and compatriot Narsingh Deonarine collected four fours and two sixes in 57 from 49 balls to lead West Indies to a six-wicket victory – under the Duckworth-Lewis Method – in the rain-marred match.
West Indies, chasing a revised target of 213 from 45 overs after rain stopped play for an hour during their innings, hit the jackpot with six balls to spare.
This followed another efficient performance from the home team in the field, as Ireland, choosing to bat on a hard, true Sabina Park pitch, fought their way to 219 all out from their allocation of 50 overs.
West Indies were put under pressure, as Kevin O’Brien hit three fours and two sixes in the top score of 54 from 51 balls. Paul Stirling supported with 51 from 83 balls and Niall O’Brien gathered 49 from 76 balls.
Dave Bernard Jr was the most successful West Indies bowler with three wickets for 32 runs from his allotment of 10 overs. Beanpole left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn took two for 29 from eight overs, and Ravi Rampaul snatched two for 54 from 10 overs.
The match was the latest in a comeback for Sarwan, following a three-month layoff with a back injury sustained during West Indies’ trip to Australia for a series of three Tests last November.
He was forced to dig West Indies out of early trouble, after openers Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Andre Fletcher fell for zero and one respectively, to leave West Indies one run for two wickets in the second over.
Sarwan formed two significant partnerships to take West Indies to safety. He put on 55 for the third wicket with left-hander Wavell Hinds and 111 for the fourth wicket with Narsingh Deonarine.
Hinds made 20 gave George Dockrell a simple return catch in the 18th over, and Deonarine matched Sarwan stroke for stroke before he fell to a controversial catch at long-off to Paul Stirling in the 35th over.
Deonarine stood his ground as neither he nor the umpires were sure about the legitimacy of the catch, since it appeared the fielder Alex Cusack had stepped on the rope.
After a protracted consultation with the fielder, the umpires upheld their original decision to leave Deonarine in. West Indies needed 46 from the last 62 balls.
Sarwan was not distracted however, and shortly after Darren Bravo joined him, brought up his century with a single to mid-wicket.
West Indies coasted the rest of the way before Bravo hit the winning run to finish on 28 not out.
Earlier, Ireland made a steady start, although their captain William Porterfield, who was playing in his 100th ODI, fell to Bernard for 10 in the fourth over.
Alert fielding from Chanderpaul and Benn then combined to run Andre Botha out in the 12th over to leave Ireland 52 for two.
West Indies were held up, when Niall O’Brien joined Stirling and put on 51 for the third wicket.
The West Indies spin bowling trio of Benn, fellow left-arm spinner Nikita Miller, and Deonarine bowling off-spin sent Ireland wobbling to 151 for six in the 39th over.
West Indies then let things slip, when Andrew White joined Kevin O’Brien, and they revived the visitors’ fortunes with a stand of 54 for the seventh wicket.
But Benn and Ravi Rampaul ran through Ireland’s lower-order with the visitors losing their last four wickets for 14 runs in the space of 20 balls.
The two sides will complete the Festival with back-to-back Twenty20 Internationals on Saturday and Sunday at the same venue.
