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Four-wicket loss: Holding slams ‘pathetic’ West Indies

For fast-bowling legend Holding and many other observers, a 300-run total was merely a “par score”

Afp February 17, 2015

ireland 039 s john mooney celebrates hitting the winning runs as they beat the west indies for the first time in their cricket world cup match in nelson february 16 2015 paul stirling and ed joyce came agonisingly close to centuries but still helped ireland cause the first upset of the 2015 cricket world cup with a four wicket victory over west indies at saxton oval in nelson on monday photo reuters

Ireland's John Mooney celebrates hitting the winning runs as they beat the West Indies for the first time in their Cricket World Cup match in Nelson, February 16, 2015. Paul Stirling and Ed Joyce came agonisingly close to centuries but still helped Ireland cause the first upset of the 2015 cricket World Cup with a four-wicket victory over West Indies at Saxton Oval in Nelson on Monday. PHOTO: REUTERS

SYDNEY: West Indies great Michael Holding has slammed the side’s four-wicket loss to Ireland in their World Cup opener as “a little bit pathetic”.

The Caribbean team collapsed to 87-5 in Nelson on Monday before Lendl Simmons (102) and Darren Sammy (89) guided them to a total of 304-7.

But as far as fast-bowling legend Holding and many other observers were concerned that was merely a “par score”.

“It was a little bit pathetic to be honest,” said Holding. “I’ve been saying since this World Cup started that 300 on a good pitch here in New Zealand or Australia is just a par score, irrespective of who you’re playing against.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 18^th, 2015.

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