Harry Tector's unbeaten fifty helps Ireland level ODI series vs West Indies

Harry Tector's unbeaten 54 helped Ireland to a five-wicket win over the West Indies in a rain-affected second one-day international in Kingston on Thursday (January 13) to set up a series decider this weekend. Victory saw Ireland square the three-match contest at 1-1 ahead of the teams' return for a now decisive finale at Sabina Park on Sunday (January 16).

Ireland were set a revised target of 168 from 36 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method after a rain delay of more than an hour, finished on 168-5 with 20 balls to spare. They had been chasing 230 at the start of their innings and were well-placed at 158 for 4 when play was halted midway through the 32nd over.

By that stage, Tector had already completed his second fifty of the series following the 53 he made during a 24-run defeat in the first ODI, with the 22-year-old hitting four fours and a six. George Dockrell fell after the resumption but by then Ireland were just three runs shy of victory.

Earlier, Romario Shepherd's maiden ODI fifty helped the West Indies recover to 229 all out In a match postponed from Tuesday because of a Covid-19 outbreak in the Irish camp, the two-time world champions collapsed to 111 for 7 after losing the toss.

But a ninth-wicket partnership of 58 between Shepherd (50) and Odean Smith (46) took the West Indies past 200 before they were bowled out with two overs left in their innings. The 27-year-old Shepherd, best known as a pace bowler, completed his first fifty in nine matches at this level off 41 balls, including seven fours.

But having made exactly 50, he was bowled by Andy McBrine, the off-spinner returning fine man-of-the-match figures of 4 for 36 in 10 overs on a ground where Ireland dramatically knocked Pakistan out of the 2007 50-over World Cup.

Ireland paceman Craig Young (3 for 42) removed the West Indies' top three, before number four batsman Shamarh Brooks made 43 in just his second match at this level. This series forms part of the World Cup Super League, with both teams looking to gain points to earn them an automatic qualifying place for the 2023 World Cup in India.

Brief scores:

West Indies 229 in 48 overs (Romario Shepherd 50, Shamarh Brooks 43; Andy McBrine 4 for 36; Craig Young 3 for 42) lost to Ireland 168 for 5 in 32.3 overs (Harry Tector 54*, Andy McBrine 35; Akeal Hosein 2 for 51) by 5 wickets (DLS Method)

Revised target for Ireland - 168 in 36 overs