Windies beat Ireland in ICC World Cup Qualifiers to reach Super Sixes stage
Saturday 10 March 2018 17:25, UK
Rovman Powell scored a maiden ODI century to help the Windies to a 52-run win over Ireland in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers, clinching qualification through to the Super Sixes stage.
Powell came in to bat with his team struggling at 83-5, but proceeded to smash seven fours and seven sixes in a superb innings of 101 from 100 balls as the Windies recovered to post 257-8 from their 50 overs. Tim Murtagh impressed for Ireland, taking 4-41.
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In reply, standout seamer Kemar Roach (4-27) took two early wickets after captain Jason Holder accounted for his opposite number, Will Porterfield, for a duck.
Roach later returned to take take the key wickets of top-scorer Ed Joyce (63) and Kevin O'Brien (38), just as Ireland were going along nicely on 166-4 in the 37th over - they subsequently subsided to 205 all out.
It is Ireland's first defeat of the tournament, and they can secure a place in the Super Sixes themselves with a win over the United Arab Emirates on Monday.
Elsewhere in Group A, the Netherlands kept their slim hopes of qualification alive with a 57-run win over Papua New Guinea, who are now eliminated after three defeats in three.
Netherlands notched a modest 216-8, batting first, before bowling out PNG for 159, with Somerset's Roelof van der Merwe taking 4-46.
It is the Netherlands' first win in their opening three games, but they can still qualify for the Super Sixes if they handily beat the Windies on Monday.
Afghanistan also earned their first win of the World Cup Qualifiers, beating Nepal by six wickets to keep alive their hopes of qualifying from Group B.
Star names Mohammad Nabi (4-33) and Rashid Khan (3-45) did the damage as Afghanistan skittled Nepal for 194, batting first, before Najibullah Zadran (52no) blasted four fours and three sixes as they knocked off the runs.
Afghanistan have played all four of their group games and are now left relying on Nepal beating Hong Kong on Monday to squeeze into the Super Sixes on their superior net run-rate.
Tournament hosts Zimbabwe, like the Windies and Scotland before them, are safely through to next stage after a convincing 89-run over Hong Kong.
Hamilton Masakadza top-scored for Zimbabwe with 84 as they racked up 263-9, batting first. Hong Kong, despite the best efforts of Anshuman Rath (85), were dismissed for 174 in reply.
Watch Windies' World Cup Qualifier clash with Netherlands, live on Sky Sports Mix (channel 121) from 7.25am on Monday.
