Kingston – Ireland won the toss and decided to field against West Indies in the first One-day International on Saturday at Sabina Park in Jamaica.
Three players are making their debut for the Windies. They are the Barbados Pride pair of makeshift opener Justin Greaves and middle-order batsman Shamarh Brooks, as well as hometown pacer Odean Smith.
Ireland announced about half-hour before the start that Simi Singh and Ben White are out of the match after they tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) overnight.
The rest of the Irish players and coaches all produced negative results – both on Friday night and Saturday morning – and the match will proceed as scheduled.
Ireland and the United States jointly agreed to cancel their One-day International series last month in Fort Lauderdale over concerns related to COVID-19.
Two members of the Irish support staff tested positive, as well as several partners of players, and on the eve of their departure for the Jamaica capital, Paul Stirling and Shane Getkate registered positive tests and were placed in mandatory 10-day isolation.
The three ODIs in the series are part of ICC Cricket World Cup Super League that automatically qualifies seven teams to the CWC 2023 India.
West Indies are eighth in the 13-team table on 40 points with four wins out of their nine matches so far, and Ireland are fourth on 50 points with four wins and two no-results out of their 15 matches.
Teams:
West Indies: Kieron Pollard (captain), Shai Hope (wicketkeeper), Justin Greaves, Nicholas Pooran, Shamarh Brooks, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Alzarri Joseph, Akeal Hosein.
Ireland: Andrew Balbirnie (captain), William Porterfield, Andy McBrine, Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, Lorcan Tucker (wicketkeeper), George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Craig Young, Josh Little.
Umpires: Joel Wilson, Nigel Duguid.
TV umpire: Gregory Brathwaite.
Match referee: Sir Richie Richardson.
Reserve umpire: Leslie Reifer Jr.
(AR)
