Ireland lose heavily to Guyana in opening Super 50 match

Kevin O'Brien took three wickets for Ireland

Ireland lost their first match in the Super50 competition as they fell 114 runs short of Guyana's challenging total of 301 at the Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

Kevin O'Brien took all three wickets to fall in the Guyana innings.

West Indian veterans Ramneresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul excelled, scoring 89 not out and 79 respectively.

Ireland were all out for 187 in the 39th over in reply, Andrew Poynter top -scoring with 54.

Poynter was named in the starting line-up after Paul Stirling was ruled out with a slight injury, while Andy McBrine replaced the retired Trent Johnston.

Ireland captain William Porterfield won the toss and elected to field, but their opponents got off to a flying start.

At the start of the innings, Guyana reached 50 for 0 at the end of 14th over as they got off to a solid start with West Indies legend Chanderpaul and Trevon Griffith remaining unbeaten through the powerplay.

By the 15th over, skipper Porterfield had turned to spin at both ends as McBrine and George Dockrell began to bowl in tandem.

At the half-way stage of the Guyana innings, Ireland had still yet to make the opening breakthrough, 39 year old Chanderpaul had utilised every bit of experience to get to 50 as had his opening partner Griffith and Guyana were 107 for 0 after 25 overs.

Andrew Poynter top-scored for Ireland with 54

It took a stunning catch from Max Sorensen to break the opening partnership, a full-length dive at mid-off where he clung on to give Kevin O'Brien the opening wicket for Ireland in the tournament.

Kevin O'Brien picked up the second wicket to fall as well as a period of sustained pressure forced Chanderpaul into the mistake, and he went caught by Tim Murtagh for 79.

Andy McBrine bowled a good 10 over spell for just 34 runs and was unlucky not to pick up a wicket and with 10 overs to go in the innings, Guyana had reached 172 for 2.

O'Brien ended as the only wicket taker with 3 for 56 as Guyana piled on the runs in the final 10 overs.

Ireland will be disappointed with their death bowling effort as the final 10 overs went for a staggering 129 runs to guide Guyana to 301 for 3 from their 50 overs.

Ireland had a disastrous start to their run chase as they lost both openers within the first two overs, first Niall O'Brien was trapped lbw for four, before Porterfield fell for a duck, also lbw, in the next over.

Soon after Gary Wilson fell to a rising delivery which he could only hit to Barnwall at cover, then Alex Cusack who was batting at number three played on and was bowled for 12 to leave Ireland in all sorts of trouble at 27 for 4.

A recovery came through a good partnership from Poynter and O'Brien who scored a rapid 39 before being bowled by Bishoo.

Poynter went on to make 54 before being run-out as he was sent back by Max Sorensen.

Wickets kept falling for Ireland and despite a good late effort from Sorensen, Ireland went down to a heavy defeat in their first match.

All Ireland's games in the Super50 will take place at the Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad, with their next fixture against Jamaica on 3 February.

Their group stage concludes against the Windward Isles on 8 February, with the semi-finals take place on 12 and 13 February, with the final on 15 February.

Ireland squad: William Porterfield (capt) (Warwickshire), Alex Cusack (Clontarf), George Dockrell (Somerset), Ed Joyce (Sussex), John Mooney (North County), Tim Murtagh (Middlesex), Andrew McBrine (Donemana), Kevin O'Brien (Railway Union), Niall O'Brien (Leicestershire), Andrew Poynter (Clontarf), Max Sorensen (The Hills), Paul Stirling (Middlesex), Stuart Thompson (Eglinton), Gary Wilson (Surrey), Craig Young (Bready).