debut: 3/6/03
9,995 runs
Andy Balbirnie's ninth ODI hundred and Barry McCarthy's four-wicket haul handed West Indies a 124-run thrashing in the first ODI in Dublin. It was Ireland's biggest win by runs against a Full Member and their fourth-biggest victory overall.
Balbirnie, who came into this game with scores of 91, 101 and 63 in the Inter-Provincial Cup, continued his good form and accumulated 112 off 138 balls to set the platform for Ireland's eventual 303 for 6.
McCarthy then dismantled West Indies' top order by taking three wickets with the new ball. Roston Chase and Matthew Forde resisted but only briefly. Fittingly, it was McCarthy who took the final wicket as West Indies were bowled out for 179 in 34.1 overs.
Earlier, after West Indies opted to bowl, Balbirnie found good support from captain Paul Stirling and Harry Tector. Both scored quick half-centuries to allow Balbirnie to play the anchor's role he has been assigned. Stirling was the aggressor in the 109-run opening stand. During his 54 off 64 balls, he also became the first Ireland batter to reach 10,000 international runs.
While Cade Carmichael did not last long, Balbirnie and Tector kept Ireland going with a third-wicket stand of 98 in just 81 balls. Balbirnie took 88 balls to reach his fifty but stepped up after that. His second fifty came in 43 balls.
Alzarri Joseph ended that stand in the 44th over with Balbirnie's wicket, but Tector's 56 off 51 and Lorcan Tucker's 30 off 18 ensured Ireland crossed 300.
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