Ireland Crush Opponents with Balbirnie's Brilliant Century

Ireland marked the start of their ODI series with a commanding 124-run win over West Indies in Dublin, powered by a classy century from Andrew Balbirnie and a devastating new-ball burst by Barry McCarthy. The performance gave Ireland a 1–0 lead heading into the second ODI. 🏏 Ireland's Innings: 303/9 Andrew Balbirnie anchored the innings with a measured century (100+), picking up pace midway through his knock after a slow start. Opening stand: 100+ run partnership with skipper Paul Stirling, who made a fluent 61-ball 50 before falling to Roston Chase. Harry Tector injected momentum with a boundary-heavy innings, partnering with Balbirnie to push Ireland past 200 by the 40th over. Ireland lost momentum late, with wickets falling in a cluster—both Balbirnie and Tector dismissed before the death overs. A late cameo from Lorcan Tucker proved crucial to pushing the score past the psychological 300-mark. 🔥 West Indies’ Collapse: 179 all out Chasing 304, West Indies were rocked early: Barry McCarthy produced a sensational burst, taking 3 wickets in his opening spell including Brandon King and Amir Jangoo. At 31/5, the chase was effectively over. Justin Greaves briefly countered with an aggressive 34 off 14 balls but was dismissed by Josh Little, extinguishing any hopes of a recovery. A 98-run stand between Roston Chase and Matthew Forde only delayed the inevitable. Once George Dockrell broke the partnership, Ireland needed just 13 balls to clean up the tail. 🧠 Key Takeaways Ireland’s top order delivered with a strong foundation; Balbirnie’s return to form will boost confidence. West Indies’ top-order woes continue—soft dismissals and poor running between wickets (Lewis’s run-out) proved costly. Barry McCarthy’s fiery spell with the new ball was the turning point of the match. Ireland held their nerve despite a late resistance, showing maturity in finishing the job efficiently. 🗓️ Looking Ahead 2nd ODI: Same venue, this Friday. Ireland lead 1–0, and a series win is now in clear sight. West Indies need a complete reset, particularly from their top order and new captain Roston Chase, who did show resolve with the bat. Ireland 303/6 in 50 overs (Andrew Balbirnie 112, Harry Tector 56, Paul Stirling 54; Matthew Forde 3/68) beat West Indies179 in 34.1 overs (Roston Chase 55; Barry McCarthy 4/32) by 124 runs