Opportunity knocks for Ireland first up against West Indies

Two countries, four weeks, six games and over 10,000 kilometres of travel await Ireland as they prepare to get their third 50-overs World Cup underway with a match against the West Indies in the picturesque surrounds of the Saxton Oval in Nelson, New Zealand on Monday.

The 13-hour time difference will offer viewers in Ireland the ideal ending to a great sporting weekend when play gets underway at 10.0pm on Sunday, while the chance of an upset may require the first of a few ingenious excuses for desk-naps over the coming weeks.

With four teams from each pool qualifying for the quarter-finals, Ireland are well aware that at least three victories are required. With the United Arab Emirates second up, and Zimbabwe also in Pool B, the initial targets have been identified.

The Windies fall into that category after a shambolic catalogue of events ever since the cancelling of their tour of India during the one-day games in October, with the fall-out still lingering.

The non-selection of Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard, discontent from other key players selected and poor individual and collective form sees them arrive on the south island in New Zealand for the opener against Ireland in far from ship-shape fashion and after just holding off Scotland and losing to England by nine wickets in their warm-up games.

“There’s a little bit of disharmony in the camp, there’s been a lot of trouble with the board over the non-selection of some of their key players, which is strange,” said Ireland's Niall O’Brien.

"Chris Gayle has been very vocal in not having his friends Pollard and Dwayne Bravo in the side, which is understandable, and their results haven't been too great so far. But they're a world-class team with people like Gayle and (Marlon) Samuels, and we need to be on top of our game, but I think it's a game we know we can win."

Ireland's preparations weren't looking too rosey before Thursday's four-wicket win over Bangladesh in their final warm-up game in Sydney ahead of the side's departure to New Zealand.

The bright lights give way to the more homely surrounds of Nelson and a Saxton Oval that is similar in nature to Malahide, with its seaside surrounds and temporary stands.

There’s little in the way of past results to go on, with just two previous One-Day Internationals having been played on the ground. The first in January of last year saw New Zealand make 285 for six before beating the West Indies by 58 runs in a rain-affected result, and the short boundaries are likely to require a score around the 280-300 mark for the side batting first.

With the two new balls and fielding restrictions edging advantage ever more towards the batting side, containment will play a big part in Ireland’s bowling plans.

The performances of John Mooney and Max Sorensen with the the new balls in the victory of Bangladesh could see them keep those roles in Nelson, with Craig Young's first meeting with a Test batting line-up in an ODI possibly put on hold.

The recent performances of Andrew Balbirnie, including his match-winning knock against the Tigers in Sydney, means he will take his place in an exceptionally strong batting line-up, albeit with a few players short on runs in the build-up.

Not as barren though as Gayle, whose last three innings read 1, 0, 0 and who has just 139 runs in his last 10 knocks. Something similar in Nelson for the Jamaican master-blaster might just be the start of something big for Ireland.

WORLD CUP LOWDOWN

ODI head-to-head v West Indies: P5 W 0 L 4 NR 1

Ones to watch: Middlesex batsman Andrew Balbirnie has blasted his way into the starting side on the back of nearly 600 runs at an average of 43 since October. Opening bowler Max Sorensen misses out on initial selection but injury to Tim Murtagh saw his return and he has been in great form with the new ball.

Jamaican Marlon Samuels has returned from a two-year ban for passing on match-related information to a bookmaker, and is one a number of match winners in the West Indies batting line-up. An outstanding athlete, Andre Russell has enjoyed strong performances against Ireland in the past.

Betting: West Indies 2/9; Ireland 3/1

On TV: Sky Sports 2, Sunday, from 9pm (1st ball 10pm). Highlights,UTV Ireland, Monday, 11.0pm.

Sunday's games – Pool B: South Africa v Zimbabwe, 1.0am; India v Pakistan, 3.30am.