West Indies opened the Tri-Nation series with a convincing eight-wicket win over Ireland at Clontarf Cricket Club, chasing down a modest target with plenty of time to spare.
Ireland, batting first, made a difficult start and were quickly under pressure in the powerplay. They slipped to 23 for three, losing early momentum and struggling to build a stable platform against the West Indies attack. With several key wickets falling inside the first phase of the innings, the hosts found it hard to recover and were forced to rebuild under challenging conditions.
Captain Orla Prendergast stood out for Ireland in the absence of Gaby Lewis. She top-scored with 25 and played a central role in a 44-run partnership with Leah Paul, which offered brief resistance and helped Ireland push toward a more respectable total. That stand was the most productive part of the innings and gave the home side some hope of posting a competitive score. However, the rest of the batting lineup could not sustain the effort, and Ireland were eventually dismissed for 103 in 17 overs.
West Indies faced a brief setback in their chase when Ava Canning struck early to remove Deandra Dottin and Qiana Joseph, giving Ireland a short-lived opening. But the visitors quickly steadied their innings, with captain Hayley Matthews taking control. Matthews played a commanding unbeaten knock of 82 off just 44 balls, combining power and composure to dominate the chase.
Her innings proved decisive, as West Indies reached the target of 104 with more than eight overs remaining. Matthews’ performance ensured there was no late drama, and the victory gave West Indies a strong start to the series.
The result highlighted the difference between the two sides on the day. Ireland showed moments of resistance through Prendergast and Paul, but their total was never likely to be enough after a fragile start and the loss of wickets at key intervals. West Indies, meanwhile, demonstrated their depth and experience, recovering quickly after early wickets before Matthews took full command of the run chase.
For Ireland, the match exposed the challenge of building a competitive total against a disciplined attack and then containing an in-form opposition captain. For West Indies, the win will provide confidence heading into the rest of the Tri-Nation series, with Matthews’ match-winning innings setting the tone for their campaign.
The opening contest ultimately finished as a comfortable success for West Indies, who showed control with both ball and bat to secure an early lead in the series.
