West Indies skipper Brian Lara drives on his way to an unbeaten 44 against Zimbabwe at Sabina Park on Monday. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

Tony Becca, Contributing Editor

THE GROUP D section of the Cricket World Cup comes to an end in Jamaica today with the West Indies, the home team, taking on Ireland in a contest which both teams have already qualified for the second round, is of great importance to both of them.

After defeating Pakistan and Zimbabwe, the West Indies, after dropping out after the first round last time out in 2003 in South Africa, are sitting pretty on four points and are already through to the next round - or more appropriately, to the Super Eights; and after tying with Zimbabwe, after defeating Pakistan, and after Pakistan's victory over Zimbabwe yesterday, Ireland, on three points, have already, in their first appearance, qualified for the second round and the contest between the top eight teams.

Although it is not vital to the future of both teams, with the winners of the group taking points won in the group from the team accompanying them into the second round, victory, however, is important to both of them - and especially so to the home team which believes it is destined to win the Cup and so become the first to do so on home soil.

If they win today, the West Indies will not only make it a perfect three from three: they will also top the group and, having defeated Ireland, they will take two points with them into the second round.

The same, however, goes for Ireland who, after the ambush of Pakistan on Saturday, must now be dreaming of a place in the semi-finals and would definitely welcome the advantage.

Although a place in the semi-finals certainly would be a shocker, Ireland probably remember that Kenya crashed the party last time out and they also probably believe that what Kenya can do, they can also do.

The advantage of starting with two points in the bag would certainly help the party crashers.

To do so, however, the Cinderellas have to win today. In other words, Ireland have to defeat the West Indies if they hope to move on to the semis and, despite the memory of their victory in 1969 when, on a wet pitch in Sion Mills south of Londonderry, the combination of Dougie Goodwin - five wickets for six runs, and Alec O'Brien - four for 18 - blew them away for 25 in one innings, the memory of 1996 when Kenya routed the West Indies for 93 on the way to defeating them by 73 runs, and the memory of 2004 when they defeated the West Indies in Belfast, despite their wonderful comeback to tie the match against Zimbabwe, and despite their eclipse of Pakistan, the odds, regardless of the pitch prepared, are against them.

In Jeremy Bray, the man who scored 71 against the West Indies in 2004, Ireland boast a solid batsman, in William Porterfield, they possess one who seems ready to bat for as long as possible, in Eoin Morgan, they boast a young, talented batsman, in Niall O'Brien, the man who scored 58 not out in 2004, they possess a batsman who loves to hit the ball, in pacers Dave Langford-Smith, Boyd Rankin and Andre Botha, in off-spinner Kyle McCallan, they possess a few decent bowlers, and based on their dazzling performance last Saturday, they parade a brilliant fielding team headed by two great catchers in captain Trent Johnston and Morgan.

As good as those players are, however, as fighting as the Irish may be, it is difficult to see them defeating a West Indies team that is riding high, a West Indies team that is playing well, a West Indies that is backed, fully, by their Jamaican crowd, and a West Indies team that includes batsmen like Christopher Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Marlon Samuels and Brian Lara, Dwayne Bravo and Dwayne Smith.

Although, the West Indies bowlers and their fielders, but for Bravo, Smith and Chanderpaul in the field, do not inspire the same confidence, normally as their batsmen, if they report to duty in the kind of form as they did against Pakistan on opening day, God help Ireland.

The 50-over game narrows the gap between teams, so too does pitches, and Ireland's best hope is a grassy pitch, winning the toss and sending the West Indies to bat.

Based on the pitch prepared for Wednesday's match between Pakistan and Zimbabwe, however, the same pitch on which Ireland shot down Pakistan, there will not be much grass on it, and Ireland's bowlers, whether they bowl first or second, will be in or should be in for a rough time.

More luck o' the Irish today? - Irish Fans at the Zimbabwe vs Ireland match at Sabina Park on Thurday 15.3.2007. -Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer