England handed Ireland jolt
Source: Agencies |
March 4, 2011, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
ENGLAND'S hopes of winning its first World Cup in the tournament's 36-year history were given a severe beating by a burly Irishman with a mop of dyed pink hair and an oversized bat in his hand.
Kevin O'Brien smashed the fastest ever century in the tournament to propel Ireland to a shock three-wicket win over England on Wednesday and severely dent its hopes of progressing to the second round of the tournament.
In an astonishing run chase, Ireland overhauled England's 327-8 with five balls to spare, causing the first major upset of this World Cup.
England will have to do some serious soul searching and some more serious damage control to keep its dream alive after a scrappy win against the Netherlands, a dramatic tie with India and the morale-shattering loss to the Irish.
One more slip-up and its chance to move into the quarterfinal stages could disappear just as quickly as O'Brien made the ball disappear during his incredible knock.
To make matters worse, the road ahead is strewn with stern tests in the form of the clinical South Africans, the resurgent West Indies and the Bangladeshis' indomitable spirit. That is just to get to the last eight.
Ireland's shock win provided a timely warning that no team can take quarterfinal spots for granted.
Before the tournament, the money had been on favorites India, South Africa and England to advance into the last eight from the group with co-hosts Bangladesh and West Indies battling it out as the fourth qualifier. Associate teams Ireland and the Netherlands had been expected to fall by the wayside.
"It shows that you can't take any team for granted," West Indies captain Darren Sammy said. "With this upset, it proves that in cricket, whoever plays better cricket on a day will come out as victorious. Obviously it's a lesson for every team," he said.
Bangladesh, which beat Ireland by 27 runs last week, is also aware of the new equation after the Ireland shocker.
"Obviously, it will change the line up of Group B which is now wide open. (Though) I don't know how it will benefit us," said skipper Shakib Al Hasan. "It will benefit us if we can beat England otherwise it will mean nothing."
Kevin O'Brien smashed the fastest ever century in the tournament to propel Ireland to a shock three-wicket win over England on Wednesday and severely dent its hopes of progressing to the second round of the tournament.
In an astonishing run chase, Ireland overhauled England's 327-8 with five balls to spare, causing the first major upset of this World Cup.
England will have to do some serious soul searching and some more serious damage control to keep its dream alive after a scrappy win against the Netherlands, a dramatic tie with India and the morale-shattering loss to the Irish.
One more slip-up and its chance to move into the quarterfinal stages could disappear just as quickly as O'Brien made the ball disappear during his incredible knock.
To make matters worse, the road ahead is strewn with stern tests in the form of the clinical South Africans, the resurgent West Indies and the Bangladeshis' indomitable spirit. That is just to get to the last eight.
Ireland's shock win provided a timely warning that no team can take quarterfinal spots for granted.
Before the tournament, the money had been on favorites India, South Africa and England to advance into the last eight from the group with co-hosts Bangladesh and West Indies battling it out as the fourth qualifier. Associate teams Ireland and the Netherlands had been expected to fall by the wayside.
"It shows that you can't take any team for granted," West Indies captain Darren Sammy said. "With this upset, it proves that in cricket, whoever plays better cricket on a day will come out as victorious. Obviously it's a lesson for every team," he said.
Bangladesh, which beat Ireland by 27 runs last week, is also aware of the new equation after the Ireland shocker.
"Obviously, it will change the line up of Group B which is now wide open. (Though) I don't know how it will benefit us," said skipper Shakib Al Hasan. "It will benefit us if we can beat England otherwise it will mean nothing."
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