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West Indies were keen to make the most of their only match in Ireland, but rain frustrated their efforts when they had Ireland at 84 for 4. The start itself was delayed until the afternoon, and when they did get going there were just seven balls before the players were off again.

The restart came some three hours later, which was incredibly infuriating for a large crowd, dotted around the boundary edge, who voiced their anger with a slow handclap. West Indies weren’t happy with the run-ups, prompting the groundsman to use a leaf blower to dry the dodgy area.

When play finally got back underway at 3pm Daren Powell dealt two early blows, removing William Porterfield and Andre Botha in the same over, three balls apart. Both were edges, to a good-length seaming delivery, Porterfield feathering through while Botha chopped on.

Eoin Morgan, though, in terrific touch, cracking fours off the back foot square of the wicket, including an audacious and sweetly struck smack over Smith’s head for six, prompting a huge roar from the hardy crowd. The only player to look comfortable against Powell who showed excellent rhythm and was decidedly quick.

Niall O’Brien, having punched a neat four off the back foot, was bowled, attempting a ridiculous charge against Ravi Rampaul, but his brother replaced and him and dispatched Rampaul over midwicket for a six before sweetly driving him past mid-off for consecutive boundaries. The crowd weren’t quite erupting, but the noise was gathering - and West Indies were beginning to look a little flustered in the field.

On came Fidel Edwards, and he too was treated with the same disdain by O’Brien who launched him over long-on for a muscular boundary. Now overflowing with confidence, two balls later he attempted to launch him over the top for six but was beaten for sheer pace. Edwards’s windscreen-wiper celebration was, perhaps, a portent of the weather to come.

With Ireland reduced to 84 for 4, the looming black clouds unleashed themselves on the ground - and that was finally that.

Source:Cricket News