Toss Ireland elected to bat v West Indies

Andy Balbirnie won his first toss as captain and elected to bat in the first ODI at Bridgetown. Balbrinie channeled the positives from Ireland’s clean sweep of Zimbabwe recently but said they weren’t thinking too much about the past. He confirmed legspinning allrounder Gareth Delaney would be making a debut. Ireland left Gary Wilson, Caig Young and James McCollum out. Lorcan Tucker was named wicketkeeper.

Kireon Polllard said West Indies weren’t sure what they wanted to do at the toss. Like Balbirnie, Pollard said the focus was on the present and that he hadn’t even realised West Indies were chasing a first series win at home since 2014. Hayden Walsh Jr. was picked ahead of Kharry Pierre as the spin option, and Keemo Paul took Jason Holder’s spot in the lower order.

West Indies: 1 Shai Hope (wk), 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Shimron Hetmyer, 4 Brandon King, 5 Nicholas Pooran, 6 Kieron Pollard (capt), 7 Roston Chase, 8 Keemo Paul, 9 Hayden Walsh Jr., 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Sheldon Cottrell

Ireland: 1 Paul Stirling, 2 Gareth Delaney, 3 Andy Balbirnie (capt), 4 William Porterfield, 5 Kevin O’Brien, 6 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 7 Simi Singh, 8 Andy McBrine, 9 Mark Adair, 10 Boyd Rankin, 11 Barry McCarthy