BELFAST, Northern Ireland - West Indies' preparations for the three-nation One-day International series with England and New Zealand hit a snag yesterday, when they suffered a six-wicket defeat to unfancied Ireland.
Chasing a target of 293 to win, Ireland hit the jackpot with 19 balls to spare after some purposeful top-order batting produced three half-century makers.
Dwayne Bravo hit an undefeated hundred as West Indies, choosing to bat, scored 292 for seven from their allotment of 50 overs.
Ireland's victory was built upon a 111-run opening stand between Jeremy Bray and captain Jason Molins.
Bray hit the top score of 71 and Molins scored 66 in an enterprising opening partnership that propelled the Irish to their second win over a visiting West Indies side, 25 years after Clive Lloyd's team were dismissed for a paltry 25.
Bray dominated a second- wicket stand of 52 with Andre Botha before both were dismissed to leave Ireland 184 for three.
Niall O'Brien kept a level head and shared successive half-century partnerships with Peter Gillespie and Andrew White to carry Ireland to safe harbour.
Gillespie scored 25 in a stand of 54 for the fourth wicket before being run out and White was not out on 32 in a partnership of 57, unbroken, for the fifth wicket.
Earlier, Bravo struck eight fours and three sixes in the top score of 100 not out from 65 balls. The all-rounder shared 131 for the sixth wicket with Ridley Jacobs, after Devon Smith, Ricardo Powell and Chris Gayle rallied the West Indies top order.
John Mooney was the most successful Irish bowler with three wickets for 67 runs from his 10 overs. Trent Johnson and Botha captured two wickets apiece.
After persistent morning rain and a wet outfield delayed the start by an hour, Ireland struck early when Shivnarine Chanderpaul was caught behind off Trent Johnson for two.
Opening batsman Chris Gayle dominated a second- wicket stand of 41 with fellow left-hander Devon Smith before he too, was caught behind off Johnston for 31 to leave West Indies 46 for two.
Smith and Ricardo Powell shared 72 for the third wicket to keep West Indies on course before Powell was dismissed for 33, Smith for 42 and Darren Sammy, in his second representative match for West Indies, for three to leave West Indies 133 for five.
Bravo and Jacobs diligently steered the ship from perilous waters and significantly beefed up the West Indies total with enterprising batting.
They were just beginning to get into the swing of things "at the death" when Jacobs was dismissed for 40 with less than five overs remaining and Bravo stuck in the 80s. West Indies captain Brian Lara, deliberately batting at eight, fell for one and so it was left to Ian Bradshaw to shepherd Bravo to the milestone.
Both teams made changes to the sides which lined up for the opening match of West Indies' tour of Britain that the visitors won by 96 runs over the Irish on Wednesday.
For West Indies, Ridley Jacobs replaced fellow wicketkeeper/batsman Carlton Baugh, Jr., and for Ireland, John Mooney and Ryan Eagleson came in for Adrian McCoubrey and Gordon Cooke.