Ireland’s honourable performance in last year’s tournament may be a dim, and happy, memory but tonight they face this year’s Twenty20 Cricket World Cup host’s, the West Indies, under floodlights at Providence, Guyana – start time 1700 local (2100 GMT/2200 BST). As the BBC preview notes, the opening game will see New Zealand take on Sri Lanka (1800 BST).
It’s a return to the scene of Ireland’s breakthrough in world cricket, the 2007 World Cup, and the Guardian has a good article on Ireland’s ambition and the investment in the game, and players, here since then – there’s also a team guide. Cricinfo has a good preview and will host their usual live scorecard. The will also be live radio coverage on TMS.
Ireland’s Trent Johnston is making the right noises, but the West Indian captain, Chris Gayle, was in form during the recent IPL season and they’ll be difficult to beat. As the Guardian points out
West Indies have the firepower in all departments to beat the best teams and will rely on boisterous home support to give them a boost.
Still, we can always hope for a repeat of that 1969 game…