Tony Becca, Contributing Editor

West Indies opening batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul cuts for four during his unbeaten 102 against Ireland in their ICC WI Cricket World Cup match at Sabina Park yesterday. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

The West Indies, riding on the back of a superb batting display by former captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul, wrapped up their first round assignments in the Cricket World Cup in style at Sabina Park yesterday when they defeated Ireland with eight wickets in hand and 9.5 overs to spare and in the process finished on top of Group D with a perfect record.

Bowling first after Ireland had won the toss and decided to bat, the West Indies, the home team and one of the favourites to win the Cup, restricted Ireland to 183 for eight off 48 overs after rain, at 161 for six off 45.2 overs, had reduced the numbers of overs by two and then, with Duckworth/Lewis ruling that they needed 190 off 48 overs to win, stormed to victory at 190 for two off 38.1 overs with Chanderpaul on 102 not out, Marlon Samuels on 27 not out.

Shots of all sorts

Batting like a man obsessed, or like a man with vengeance on his mind, Chanderpaul, the man who was cut down for two in 2004 when Ireland defeated the West Indies in a one-day friendly encounter in Belfast, was at his best, and probably in retaliation for his embarrassment three years ago, caned the bowlers with shots to all corners of the ground - some racing along the green, green grass of the beautiful Sabina and some sailing through the air and landing beyond the boundary.

In ticking off his first century in the World Cup, Chanderpaul stepped past his previous best - 80 versus Australia at the Punjab Cricket Stadium in his first appearance in 1996, and in the process reeled off some dazzling strokes during an innings that lasted for 164 minutes, 113 deliveries, and during a performance which, after losing partner Chris Gayle for 18 at 24 for one in the fifth over, he smashed four sixes and stroked 10 fours.

The best of Chanderpaul, however, came when the left-hander, early in the display, stroked pacer William Rankin for four consecutive onside boundaries - from long-leg to long-leg, and later on when, in three successive deliveries, he stroked pacer Andr? Botha for two fours on either side of the pitch and then smashed for six over long-on.

Near full house

On the opening day, the West Indies defeated Pakistan by 54 runs, on day seven, they defeated Zimbabwe with six wickets in hand and with 13 deliveries to spare, and yesterday's victory before a near full house - a few fans less than it was on opening day, made it three victories from three matches for the champions of 1975 and 1979 and the finalists of 1983.

With Ireland tying their first match with Zimbabwe and then upsetting Pakistan, both teams entered yesterday's final match of the first round already through to the second round, and by winning the match, the West Indies not only topped the group but in doing so, in defeating Ireland, they will also be taking two points into the second round - into the round- robin Super Eights where each of the eight teams will play each other with the exception of the one they played in the first round.

Ireland were beaten but they were not disgraced. In fact, they had no reason to even feel embarrassed - and definitely so not at least for the first 13 overs when, in striking one six and seven fours, they confidently chipped to 61 for one before losing wickets at regular intervals to the pace quartet of Jerome Taylor - one wicket for 37 runs off 10 overs, Daren Powell - two for 24 off nine, left-hander Ian Bradshaw - one for 27 off nine, and Dwayne Bravo - two for 35 off seven overs.

Also making life difficult for Ireland's batsmen was slow bowler Chris Gayle who, pegging away from the southern end, from the end of the George Headley Stand, returned figures of two 23 off 10 overs.

Following the dismissal of the left-handed William Copperfield - caught Gayle at first slip off Powell for zero at three for one in the morning's second over, Ireland enjoyed their best partnership of the innings, and with Jeremy Bray and Eoin Morgan stroking the ball nicely and confidently, they really looked threatening.

Bray, the left-hander who top-scored with 71 when Ireland defeated the West Indies in 2004 in Belfast, played some lovely strokes through the offside off the back-foot, and none better than when he went forward and welcomed the introduction of Bradshaw with a sweet drive to the cover boundary, and when, in the following over, he went back and drove Powell to the cover boundary.

Although luck smiled on the Irish when Bray, on 34 at 60 for one, drove Powell straight into and out of Samuels' hands walking in from mid-wicket, Ireland lost wicket number two at 61 in the 16th over when the left-handed Morgan hooked at Powell, and with the ball flying high, with five fielders converging on it, wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin beat them to it, and with his back to the wicket, with the ball coming down over his head, he dived forward and came up with a truly magnificent catch inches from the fine-leg boundary.

On a day when the West Indies were great in the field, and very good with the ball, that was one of four excellent catches by Ramdin.

After that, despite acting captain Kyle McCallan's contribution of 28 not out, Ireland's batsmen flattered only to deceive.

When the West Indies batted, Ramnaresh Sarwan - 36 with two fours and one six, and Samuels - two fours and two sixes - and of course Chanderpaul entertained the gathering as the West Indies, in the real thing, enjoyed sweet revenge against Ireland.

Home side cruises into Super Eights with easy win were not disgraced. In fact, they had no reason to even feel embarrassed - and definitely so not at least for the first 13 overs when, in striking one six andseven fours, they confidently chipped to 61 for one before losing wickets at regular intervals to the pace quartet of Jerome Taylor - one wicket for 37 runs off 10 overs, Daren Powell - two for 24 off nine, left-hander Ian Bradshaw - one for 27 off nine, and Dwayne Bravo - two for 35 off seven overs.

Also making life difficult for Ireland's batsmen was slow bowler Chris Gayle who, pegging away from the southern end, from the end of the George Headley Stand, returned figures of two for 23 off 10 overs.

Following the dismissal of the left-handed William Copperfield - caught by Gayle at first slip off Powell for zero at three for one in the morning's second over, Ireland enjoyed their best partnership of the innings, and with Jeremy Bray and Eoin Morgan stroking the ball nicely and confidently, they really looked threatening.

Bray, the left-hander who top-scored with 71 when Ireland defeated the West Indies in 2004 in Belfast, played some lovely strokes through the offside off the back-foot, and none better than when he went forward and welcomed the introduction of Bradshaw with a sweet drive to the cover boundary, and when, in the following over, he went back and drove Powell to the cover boundary.

Although luck smiled on the Irish when Bray, on 34 at 60 for one, drove Powell straight into and out of Samuels' hands walking in from mid-wicket, Ireland lost wicket number two at 61 in the 16th over when the left-handed Morgan hooked at Powell, and with the ball flying high, with five fielders converging on it, wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin beat them to it, and with his back to the wicket, with the ball coming down over his head, he dived forward and came up with a truly magnificent catch inches from the fine-leg boundary.

On a day when the West Indies were great in the field, and very good with the ball, that was one of four excellent catches by Ramdin.

After that, despite acting captain Kyle McCallan's contribution of 28 not out, Ireland's batsmen flattered only to deceive.

When the West Indies batted, Ramnaresh Sarwan - 36 with two fours and one six, and Samuels - two fours and two sixes - and of course Chanderpaul entertained the gathering as the West Indies, in the real thing, enjoyed sweet revenge against Ireland.