I belonged to that group of people who were against the Associate member’s participation in the World Cup. I was dubious about their abilities and it didn’t originate without any logic. So far, throughout this World Cup teams like Canada, Kenya and Zimbabwe’s performance have been frustrating and even though the English were tested by the Dutch but since that brilliant performance, the Dutch have been very much off-mood.
But
cricket can surprise us any time and I guess, the English were not just
surprised last night but they were left shell-shocked by an Irish twister.
Chasing
down 327 runs in 50 overs is surely an uphill task for the Irish and at 111 for
5 it seemed that another shoddy Associate-member-performance was on the cards. A
Herculean innings was the order of the night and surely the Irish didn’t have a
Sachin Tendulkar or Shahid Afridi to do such.
Half
of the overs had gone. The match was well poised in favour of England
and what did you do? Either you left the stadium to reach home early or
switched off the TV to concentrate on your other works.
You
certainly made a big mistake mate. Suddenly a batsman named Kevin O’Brein transformed
into a He-Man whose bat transformed into a mighty sword and sliced the English
attack mercilessly.
He
showed his intent early when he slaughtered Swann through the covers second-ball
and then whacked into the offspinner's ninth over with two sixes over midwicket
which give life to Ireland 's
innings. O'Brien was on 35 off 22 balls when Ireland
took the batting Powerplay and it was during those five overs that the chance
of the impossible became possible as 62 runs were leaked. And almost 162 runs
were scored in 17.2 overs!
O’Brein
entered into the scene when ED Joyce had departed and then witnessed the
departure of Gary Wilson. O’Brein decided to take drastic measures and thus
exhibited the power of Afridi and executed his tremendous air show with the
technique of Sachin Tendulkar. The English bowlers’ much vigour and sizzle
during the Ashes just fizzled out by the onslaught of the Irish fairy tale hero.
Michael
Yardy went for 16 as did James Anderson whom O'Brien pulled for a huge six to
take him to a 30-ball fifty. Anderson's next over went for 17 including another
leg-side pull and in between whiles, even the normally reliable Tim Bresnan was
dispatched, including the finest shot of O'Brien's innings when he drove a six
clean over cover
The
fielding restrictions meant nothing to O'Brien and he continued on his merry
way with another huge blow over midwicket to take him into the 90s. It was an
incredible air show! Then the whole of Ireland
held their breath as O'Brien's next attempt to clear the rope sent the ball
high into the night sky where Andrew Strauss made a lot of ground but then
couldn't hold on.
O'Brien
needed support to play his incredible innings and Cusack's role can't be
underestimated. He was almost lost in O'Brien's onslaught as he sensibly
rotated the strike until, off his 49th ball, he joined the boundary hitting by
launching Collingwood over midwicket then thumped Yardy straight down the
ground.
Mean
while, O’Brein brought up his hundred off just 50 balls with a tuck for two
into the leg side to beat Matthew Hayden's World Cup record of 66 deliveries. It
was simply an exhibition of sophisticated butchery in the history of modern day
cricket. And that too came not from the bat of any superstar of present day
cricket but an almost unknown Kevin O’Brein, whose sturdy medium-pace produced
a wicket-maiden when Zimbabwe
needed just nine to win from 12 balls four years ago. They would only tie.
Swann
removed O’Brein in over number 48.1 but, till then he had laid the foundation
of an Irish fairy tale. Mooney clipped Anderson
through midwicket in the 50th over’s second ball to set off epic celebrations.
Kevin
O’Brein’s last night epic has earned some prestige of the Associate teams. Such
performances must come in a regular manner and should not be just a flash out
of the pan.
Thank
You
Faisal
Caesar
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