Carty 170 headlines West Indies’ significant victory that levels the series

West Indies achieved their second-highest ODI score of 385 for 7, subsequently dismissing Ireland for 165

West Indies scored 385 runs for the loss of 7 wickets (Carty 170, Hope 75, Greaves 50, McCarthy 3-100) and defeated Ireland, who managed 165 runs (Carmichael 48, Seales 3-26), by 197 runs using the DLS method.

Keacy Carty achieved a career-high score of 170, with valuable contributions from Shai Hope and Justin Greaves, enabling West Indies to secure a 197-run victory over Ireland via the DLS method in the third ODI, thus leveling the three-match series at 1-1.

Carty achieved his second century in consecutive matches, while Hope and Greaves contributed with half-centuries, propelling West Indies to their second-highest ODI score. A fiery opening spell from Jayden Seales effectively secured the victory for West Indies within the first eight overs of Ireland’s chase, which was reduced to 46 overs due to rain interruptions, resetting the target to 363.

Barry McCarthy once again shone with the new ball for Ireland, dismissing both openers by the fifth over. However, Carty and Hope, for the second consecutive match, remained steadfast for West Indies. Carty commenced with a series of confident cover drives and flicks, contrasting with his anxious start a few days prior.

After the initial ten overs, Carty was content to adopt a supporting role, with Hope taking the lead in their 137-run partnership for the third wicket. Both Hope and Carty reached their half-centuries in successive overs, consistently finding boundaries off debutant seamer Jordan Neill, until rain halted the match.

Meanwhile, Neill sustained a shoulder injury while attempting a diving stop at the boundary a few overs before the rain interruption, prematurely ending his debut.

Upon the resumption of play following a brief rain delay, Harry Tector was introduced into the bowling attack, and Hope greeted him with a six over square leg.

Liam McCarthy generated several opportunities with his extra bounce. Carty’s cut shot off him went low to Tector at backward point, but he was slow to respond. Just two balls later, Hope edged one through the vacant slips cordon.

Hope maintained the momentum during his run-a-ball 75 until he attempted to pull a delivery from McBrine that was not short enough, resulting in substitute fielder Thomas Mayes taking an excellent catch diving in front from long-on.

There was a phase of intense pressure from Ireland during which they conceded only 18 runs over five overs. However, Amir Jangoo, who had been stuck on 7 runs from 23 balls until that moment, lifted Liam McCarthy’s delivery over his head for a six, alleviating some of the pressure. Following this, Carty top-edged a pull shot for another six, propelling him into the 90s.

In the subsequent over, a cover drive off Tector brought him to 97, and shortly after, he edged a cut shot to secure his hundred in the 38th over.

Carty continued his momentum, scoring two boundaries off Barry McCarthy in the next over. Unfortunately, Jangoo’s difficulties came to a close as he attempted to tackle an arm ball from George Dockrell and was caught at long-off.

A rain delay occurred with eight overs remaining. Upon the resumption of play, Carty sent Dockrell’s first ball back over his head for a six and followed it by lofting the next delivery over long-on, achieving his highest ODI score.

McBrine nearly had Greaves caught at deep midwicket, but Dockrell lost his footing and went over the boundary while attempting to secure the catch. A sliced boundary over short third added to McBrine’s frustration.

A pulled four from Greaves brought the West Indies to a total of 300 with five overs remaining. Carty reached 150 with the first ball of the 46th over, while Greaves continued to attack from the other end, hitting two more boundaries off Liam McCarthy.

Carty hit sixes off three consecutive legal deliveries from Barry McCarthy after Greaves had also hit one in a 28-run 47th over. The last of those sixes, struck by Carty, injured a cameraman at long-off, necessitating another break in play.

When play resumed, Carty attempted to go for another big hit but ended up finding the deep-midwicket fielder, granting Liam McCarthy a well-deserved wicket.

Greaves persisted in his offensive, achieving his half-century off 22 balls, but subsequently chipped a ball to cover on the next delivery, granting Barry McCarthy his third wicket. Barry McCarthy concluded the series as the top wicket-taker, becoming the first bowler from Ireland to concede 100 runs in a men’s ODI.

Following this, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie, and Roston Chase inflicted further damage, propelling the West Indies to an impressive total. The West Indies amassed 132 runs in the final eight overs, marking the third-highest total by any team in a men’s ODI where ball-by-ball data is accessible.

Additional rain caused further delays to the restart, but once the chase commenced with a revised target, Seales made an immediate impact. With movement available, he delivered an inswinger that slipped through the gap between Andy Balbirnie’s bat and pad, crashing into the stumps.

Paul Stirling maintained his aggressive approach, striking Forde for two sixes in the fifth over amidst a barrage of boundaries, thereby reaching 6000 ODI runs in the process.

However, two overs later, Seales induced a top edge from an attempted cut, concluding Stirling’s brief innings before managing to seam the ball in from well outside off as Harry Tector attempted to leave, only to hear the stumps fall. This double-wicket maiden effectively extinguished any hopes of a comeback from Ireland.

Cade Carmichael and Lorcan Tucker formed a 72-run partnership, with the former showcasing his skills in his second ODI innings, particularly excelling at pulling short balls. However, Alzarri Joseph and Greaves dismissed them both within ten balls. From that point onward, it was merely a formality for the West Indies as they averted consecutive series defeats against Ireland, who were also two players short due to injuries to Neill and Little during the first innings.