England v Ireland: Andrew Strauss, Ian Bell, Kevin O’Brien, William Porterfield-ICC World Cup 2011
The ICC Cricket World Cup has come alive, as Ireland take on a spirited England side to prove a point in a Group B match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.
These two teams have met each other only once in World Cups and that too in the previous edition. In that match, England beat them convincingly by a 48-run margin.
Ironically, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ed-Joyce-c1417, who played against Ireland in 2007’s mega event, will now take on England in Bangalore.
Bangalore’s pitch gives batsmen an opportunity to score runs freely and bowlers find it h**l to bowl on. As the match progresses, the wicket does not show signs of variable pace and bounce. One can expect a high scoring game, as both the outfits possess
dashing stroke-makers in their armoury.
Kevin Pietersen
Kevin Pietersen hasn’t looked comfortable in his new role as an opener, as he has collected modest scores of 39 and 31 in England’s first two games.
However, he has baffled the opposition with some scintillating strokes at the top-order. He still looks dangerous, as his team looks to burry opening combination worries.
In the first two games, he has been troubled by opposition bowlers with the new-ball. As an opening batsman, one has to pick the line of the ball very quickly. Kevin has struggled to do it regularly.
Nevertheless, he has always silenced his critics by the virtue of strong performances with the willow. With the bat in hand Kevin is indeed a daunting figure and for a player of his calibre, it is never difficult to come up with something special to answer
the critics.
Ian Bell
Sublime and touch are the words to define Ian Bell’s game-play. He is a batsman well capable of providing his team with massive scores. In the middle order, he is by far England’s best player against spin, as he has the ability to manoeuvre the ball.
He picks up a delivery early from the wrist or finger movement of a spinner and adjusts his technique accordingly. The brilliance of his batting display lies in the speed of his shot selection and range of stroke-making.
His majestic 69-run innings against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 helped his team tie the match, while chasing a mammoth 339-run total. He is yet to score a ton in World Cups and a depleted Irish attack might provide him with an opportunity to do just that.
William Porterfield
Ireland’s leading willower, William Porterfield, is yet to make his mark in cricket’s flagship event, scoring 192 runs at 19 with a sole half-century. Nonetheless, his overall record has been impressive, as he has amassed 1391 runs at 33, including five
centuries.
As an opening batsman, the start to his innings is watchful and as the ball gets old, he opens up and plays his strokes at will. His contribution at the top-order will be crucial for his team, as they take on an in-from English side in a must win game.
Kevin O’Brien
Kevin O’Brien is a strong lad capable of hitting any bowler out of the park. His game is a mixture of relentless stroke-play and resilience. He suddenly changes his game according to the situation and has a flexible temperament to play any kind of an innings.
His ice-cool 37-run knock against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ireland-c751 will need a spark in the middle overs and O’Brien is the player to do so.
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