Gayle effect could bring crowds

CHRIS GAYLE and his Windies take on Ireland in what should be a tight ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier at Harare Sports Club today that should attract quite a big crowd because of the master batsman’s appeal.

Gayle has already hit a century in the only match he has played and this big match will also be live on SuperSport, the first ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier to be broadcast live.

Both teams are targeting booking their places in the Super Sixes and have won two in two in the tournament so far, meaning their spots in the next round are more or less certain, but whoever wins this one will put the matter beyond debate.

This is the first time Windies are playing the qualifiers, and they have proved their prowess as the most experienced Test-playing nation in the mix.

A whirlwind 123 from Gayle and Shimron Hetmyer’s 127 set up their win over the United Arab Emirates, which Jason Holder sealed with a five-wicket haul. Without Gayle, the Windies faced a bit of a scare against Papua New Guinea when they were reduced to 53/4 chasing 200, but knocks of 99* and 49* by Jason Holder and Shai Hope respectively ensured they got home with six wickets in hand.For Ireland, things could barely have gone much better. Helped by captain William Porterfield (47) and Andy Balbirinie (68), they posted 268/7 in their opening match against the Netherlands and then managed to bowl the opposition out for 149 as Tim Murtagh picked up three wickets.

Against PNG, Ireland had little trouble chasing down 236 as Porterfield’s 111 and Ed Joyce’s half-century carried them home.

Key players

William Porterfield (Ireland): With one century and one half-century already in the tournament, the Ireland captain has shown excellent form. The left-hander’s presence at the top of the order alongside the explosive Stirling, another experienced hand, is crucial to Ireland’s success. The onus will be on Porterfield to see off the new ball and play the role of the anchor for Ireland.

Chris Gayle (Windies): He missed the PNG game, but his 123 against the UAE was a typically violent knock. Everyone knows what Gayle is capable of, and if he stays for any length of time, the game could get away from Ireland very quickly.

Conditions

The forecast isn’t the greatest, as thunderstorms are expected in Harare today and the humidity is expected to be high. The pitch could also be on the slow side, and run-scoring may not be as easy as it has been at some of the other venues.

Squads

Ireland: William Porterfield (c), Andrew Balbirnie, Peter Chase, George Dockrell, Ed Joyce, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Tim Murtagh, Kevin O’Brien, Niall O’Brien (wk), Boyd Rankin, James Shannon, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Gary Wilson

Windies: Jason Holder (c), Jason Mohammed, Devendra Bishoo, Carlos Brathwaite, Sheldon Cottrell, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope (wk), Evin Lewis, Nikita Miller, Ashley Nurse, Rovman Powell, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Kesrick Williams - ICC