http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ireland-c751 - The Giant Killers of Cricket - Opinion
Ever since Ireland came into the international circuit, much was said about their ability to outperform on their day against the very best. The team consists of a talented group of cricketers who combine their infrequent dexterity on the pitch with a humble
background off of it. The fact that Ireland has been belittled in the past as minnows, has often acted to the detriment of those teams who have considered them to be so. For Ireland it is a case of the rub of the green to go their way in order to assassinate
some of the most formidable line ups in the world. It is after all, a land which is obsessed with luck that stems from a Shamrock.
They have thus, gained notoriety for being giant killers. Very seldom Ireland’s performances in global tournaments have come without registering a thumping, astonishing and often bewildering victory against a top notch juggernaut that dominates world cricket.
One can think of the years as early as 1928 or 1969, where the then http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 Cricket Team had to bear the brunt of outlandish pressure, after they suffered shock defeats to a side that they dubbed as a rookie. Then came the all important 2004 season, where
Brian Lara’s West Indies team, fresh from uplifting the 2004 http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747- Like’ entry into world cricket for the Irish, yet
the optimism was cut short after they failed to translate them into consistency.
Consistency apart, the Irish have had their share of thumping triumphs that not many would argue over. One can consider their 2007 routing of the then ranked 4th http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 at Sabina Park in Kingston. On a seaming track, Pakistan was just bundled
out for 132, helping the Irish register a remarkable three wicket win. Victory in that game meant that the Irish managed to qualify for the Super Eight stage and beat Bangladesh at the Kensington Oval. This victory was equally significant, given that their
opposition managed to record surprise upsets against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757, on the slow, low pitches at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad and the Providence Stadium. For Ireland to beat them was a massive feat in itself. Not many
would forget what happened four years later, however. Kevin O' Brien’s brutal 113 against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c749 in the 2011 World Cup helped Ireland chase down a mammoth 329 after they were 111 for 5 at one stage. The entire world stood up to notice a cricket team that
was fast tracking itself to be in the reckoning for Test status.
These victories have seldom translated into consistency however, and Ireland has crashed out of more global tournaments than any of their fellow minnow sides such as Bangladesh and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Kenya-c752. Yet the remarkable aspect about Ireland is that they whenever they
have killed giants on their own turf and otherwise, they have done it with such ease and flare that it leaves their impartial observers, speechless. Those teams who aim to succeed against Ireland should be wary about the team’s history of creating major upsets.
For Ireland however, they need to acknowledge that every day is not Saint Patrick’s Day.
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