The teams that did not make it – Part 11 – ICC World Cup 2011
The Netherlands lacked the depth in their squad when it came to having a team that could both bat and bowl. The inability to depend on their bowler’s had the Dutch batsmen playing under constant pressure, the result being a six match World Cup group stage
campaign without a single win.
An example was set by the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Netherlands-c753 of what not to do as other teams tried not to follow their example.
Ireland
The team from Ireland had been given the title of ‘giant killers’ by some for their knack of beating the big teams after they sent http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 crashing in the previous World Cup.
That brought with it the added pressure of having to live up to everyone’s expectations and the only way the Irish could do that was to qualify for the quarter-finals.
Their first hurdle was one of the host nations http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747, as the two sides met at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.
After losing the toss to the home side, the Irish players took to the field as they looked to restrict Bangladesh to a reachable total. The Irish bowler’s bowled admirably, as they manage to bowl out the entire Bangladeshi team for an achievable 205 runs.
Andre Botha was the star bowler for the Ireland team, as he took three wickets in the nine overs he was given by his captain. He was supported well by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/George-Dockrell-c59135 and Trent Johnson who had two wickets each to brag to their families back home about.
With 206 runs to chase to record their first win of the ICC World Cup 2011 campaign it was all down to the Irish batsmen. Wicket-keeper Niall O’Brien’s 38 runs and his Brother Kevin O’Brien’s 37 runs were the highlight of the Irish second innings batting
performance.
A lower-order collapse meant that the Irish fell 27 runs short of the target, as they were all bowled out for 178 runs. It was a missed opportunity for the Irish, as they passed up an opportunity to pick up their first two points.
The result added pressure on the Ireland team as their next few matches were against some formidable opposition.
As if to drive that particular point home, the Irish team’s next match was against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.
The Irish team found themselves having to bowl in the first innings, as they lost the toss to the English team.
John Mooney was slightly on the expensive side for his four wickets, but the English batsmen were in a ruthless mood as they scored a total of 327 runs for the loss of eight wickets.
The events that took place in the second innings are now the stuff of legend. At a 111 runs for the loss of five wickets in the 25th over, the game seemed to be out of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ireland-c751’s reach. Kevin O’Brien wanted to add a page to the history books, as
he hit the English bowlers all over the park and in the process scored the fastest World Cup century in history.
Kevin O’Brien’s knock turned the game on its head and with the support of Alex Cusack’s 47 runs and John Mooney’s unbeaten 33 the Irish team recorded a historic win with just five balls left to spare in the match.
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