Smith and Pollard make Ireland toil

Devon Smith
12 April 2012

Devon Smith's patient century and Kieron Pollard's quick-fire 94 powered West Indies to 275 all out in their World Cup Group B match against Ireland in Mohali today.

Opener Smith scored 107 off 133 balls to set up a late onslaught by Pollard who hit five sixes and eight boundaries in his 55-ball innings to bring up the competitive total after a slow start.

Kevin O'Brien picked up four for 71 but West Indies recovered admirably from 130 for three in 32 overs and blasted 145 in the remaining 18.

West Indies started steadily after being asked to bat first thanks mainly to a 89-run partnership between openers Smith and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

But by then the Windies were into their 25th over and a double strike from Kevin O'Brien soon saw off Chanderpaul (35 off 62) and new man Darren Bravo (nought).

Smith took 82 balls to reach his half-century, but added 41 in the next seven overs with new man Ramnaresh Sarwan (10) before the latter holed out in the deep when facing off spinner George Dockrell.

Big-hitting Pollard and Smith then added 57 in 41 balls to break the shackles and soon Smith reached his maiden one-day international century off 124 balls. West Indies scored 55 in the batting power play as Pollard completed his third one day 50 off just 35 balls, but the 88-run stand ended when Smith was bowled by O'Brien for 107 (133 balls).

The all-rounder then removed Darren Sammy three balls later to reduce Windies to 222 for five with seven overs remaining. New man Devon Thomas lasted just eight balls but Pollard cut loose with Andre Russell for company as 20 runs came off O'Brien's ninth over.

Pollard, however, missed out on his maiden century by six runs when he holed out in the deep off John Mooney, who also removed Russell in the next ball of the penultimate over.

Windies added just four in the last over and lost two more wickets to be bowled out on the final ball of the innings.

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