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Howzat! Ireland Beat England

  • March 3rd, 2011
  • Posted by EUEditor

kevin-obrien-indep.jpegThanks to a record innings by all-rounder Kevin O’Brien,26, the  Ireland cricket team have had a three-wicket win over England in their World Cup match played at Bangalore.

His 113 runs in 63 balls produced the fastest century recorded in one day cricket.

Ireland a non-test country that puts cricket well below all sorts of other ball sports, trailed as expected, at one point on 106 for 4, then 111 for 5, chasing 328 to win.

A 162 runs partnership between Kevin O’Brien and Alex Cusack turned around the game, which ended tight enough, the Irish needing 11 runs in the last over, after O’Brien was run out.

Ireland have beaten test sides a few times over the years – Pakistan and the West Indies -  but never before England, in any format of the game, so Irish were enjoying some craik over all this worldwide.

“Something gets into us when we play the English”, said the triumphant batsman, proclaiming there’d be more to follow.

“We are not one-hit wonders.”

That could have been a dig at a move by international cricket to reduce the World Cup schedule from 14 to 10 teams, cutting back options for the weaker sides like Ireland, Canada or the Netherlands.

The England captain, Andrew Strauss, rued the loss on a fast wicket, with his team, himself included, dropping five catches – one from O’Brien on 91.

It was a “bit of a shock”, he concluded, and as for Kevin O’Brien from Dublin: “It was an outstanding innings.”

England after a dramatic test series victory away to Australia this Southern Summer, then lost the following one-day series six-one, and before meeting Ireland had heavily slipped from favour for the World Cup.

See EUAustralia Online, “Sports wrap”, 31.1.11.

Reference

Ed Carty and Louise Hogan, “Johnston, Mooney and O’Brien restore Irish pride”, Irish Independent, Dublin, 3.3.11. http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/johnston-mooney-and-obrien-restore-irish-pride-2563695.html, (3.3.11).

“Talk of the Town:, Irish Times, Dublin, 3.3.11. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2011/0303/1224291212456.html, (3.3.11).

Picture – Independent