Pollard powers West Indies
Source: Agencies |
March 12, 2011, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
KIERON Pollard hammered a swashbuckling 94 and then returned to take a stunning catch to script West Indies' 44-run victory over a brave Irish side and brighten the team's World Cup quarterfinal prospects yesterday.
Opener Devon Smith (107) struck his maiden ODI century but it was Pollard's 55-ball power-hitting exhibition that enabled West Indies to put behind a sluggish start and post 275 all out in the Group B match.
When they returned to defend, Pollard dived full-length at long on to remove the biggest threat in the opposition rank, Kevin O'Brien, and facilitate the team's third successive victory in the tournament.
"It was a good catch. We knew O'Brien is a very dangerous player and the game was right up his alley," Pollard said as he gripped his man-of-the-match trophy.
"We had to get someone to do something to get him out and it was me, taking the catch."
As long as Ed Joyce (84) and Gary Wilson (61) were in the middle, Ireland was justified in believing that it had decent chances of pulling off its second upset victory in the tournament, having humbled England earlier in Bangalore.
The 91-run partnership between the two kept the Irish in the hunt before debutant Andre Russell struck a crucial blow in the 38th over when his yorker pegged back Joyce's stump. The remaining Irish hopes vanished in the 40th over when Kevin O'Brien fell after Pollard took the stunner off skipper Daren Sammy's bowling and his animated celebration revealed how crucial the wicket was.
Combination
The spin-pace combination of Sulieman Benn (4-53) and Sammy (3-31) caused most of the damage.
In Chittagong, Jonathan Trott and Eoin Morgan smashed half centuries to rescue England from a dreadful start and set hosts Bangladesh a challenging 226-run victory target in their Group B match.
Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan won the toss and surprising opted to field even though many local experts had predicted the team batting first would enjoy a huge advantage. His gamble, however, appeared to pay off as he left the visitors reeling on 53-3 in the 17th over, to the delight of the partisan fans who had packed into the stadium.
Trott (67) and Morgan (63) steered England out of trouble by adding 109 runs for the fourth wicket. Morgan, who replaced the injured Kevin Pietersen, blocked out the deafening noise to play a delightful knock which included eight sweetly-timed fours. While Morgan jumped on any loose ball, Trott was happy to pick up the ones and two to bring up his fourth-half century in five World Cup matches.
Opener Devon Smith (107) struck his maiden ODI century but it was Pollard's 55-ball power-hitting exhibition that enabled West Indies to put behind a sluggish start and post 275 all out in the Group B match.
When they returned to defend, Pollard dived full-length at long on to remove the biggest threat in the opposition rank, Kevin O'Brien, and facilitate the team's third successive victory in the tournament.
"It was a good catch. We knew O'Brien is a very dangerous player and the game was right up his alley," Pollard said as he gripped his man-of-the-match trophy.
"We had to get someone to do something to get him out and it was me, taking the catch."
As long as Ed Joyce (84) and Gary Wilson (61) were in the middle, Ireland was justified in believing that it had decent chances of pulling off its second upset victory in the tournament, having humbled England earlier in Bangalore.
The 91-run partnership between the two kept the Irish in the hunt before debutant Andre Russell struck a crucial blow in the 38th over when his yorker pegged back Joyce's stump. The remaining Irish hopes vanished in the 40th over when Kevin O'Brien fell after Pollard took the stunner off skipper Daren Sammy's bowling and his animated celebration revealed how crucial the wicket was.
Combination
The spin-pace combination of Sulieman Benn (4-53) and Sammy (3-31) caused most of the damage.
In Chittagong, Jonathan Trott and Eoin Morgan smashed half centuries to rescue England from a dreadful start and set hosts Bangladesh a challenging 226-run victory target in their Group B match.
Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan won the toss and surprising opted to field even though many local experts had predicted the team batting first would enjoy a huge advantage. His gamble, however, appeared to pay off as he left the visitors reeling on 53-3 in the 17th over, to the delight of the partisan fans who had packed into the stadium.
Trott (67) and Morgan (63) steered England out of trouble by adding 109 runs for the fourth wicket. Morgan, who replaced the injured Kevin Pietersen, blocked out the deafening noise to play a delightful knock which included eight sweetly-timed fours. While Morgan jumped on any loose ball, Trott was happy to pick up the ones and two to bring up his fourth-half century in five World Cup matches.
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