Amy Hunter struck an assured 96 in Co Tyrone yesterday but her 90-ball innings was just about the only highlight for Ireland as the West Indies powered to a nine-wicket victory in the first of three World Cup qualifying one-day internationals.

After back-to-back T20 wins against Caribbean team, the Girls in Green were expecting a backlash at the Bready club and it came in the familiar form of Hayley Matthews who struck 159 not out to see her team home with a massive 11.2 overs to spare.

Put into bat, skipper Gaby Lewis, playing her 200th international, got Ireland off to a confident start with 39 from 48 balls before Hunter and Orla Prendergast added 69 in 11.2 overs for the third wicket.

A healthy 134-2 at the halfway stage suggested a challenging total of 320 was well within scope but a superb googly from leg-spinner Afy Fletcher bowled Prendergast through the gate for 30 and swung the momentum to the visitors.

Hunter, employing her heaves into the legside with good effect, kept the scoreboard ticking only to drag a long hop into her stumps the ball after she had been dropped on the long on boundary — the unlucky fielder palming the ball over the ropes for six.

Thus the 20-year-old, who also hit 10 fours, fell a boundary short of what would have been her second ODI century and the first by any Ireland woman against the West Indies.

Jane Maguire spooned into the covers three balls later without scoring and despite a bright 27 from Loiuse Little, including two sixes, the home side’s innings stalled and ended on 269 at the end of the 49th over.

West Indian captain Matthews, so often the tormentor of Ireland, enjoyed a huge slice of luck when she was ‘caught’ at deep backward square for 43, only to be reprieved because Georgina Dempsey had overstepped for a no-ball.

It was her only mis-step in an innings that contained 24 fours and two maximums, while her opening partner Realeanna Grimmond was caught by Hunter off Little for 91, after a record stand of 258.

Ireland will have to find a way of combating Matthews, who also took three wickets, in tomorrow’s second game and again on Wednesday.