Dreams disappeared as Tigers trounced at Trent Bridge
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
Ireland 138 for 4 (Niall O'Brien 40, Kevin O'Brien 39*) beat Bangladesh 137 for 8 (Mortaza 33*, Johnston 3-20) by six wickets
Ireland beat Bangladesh in the 2007 World Cup and, pitted against the same side in a do-or-die clash in more familiar conditions, produced an encore to surge into the second stage of the World Twenty20. It will go down as one of the biggest moments in Ireland's cricket history and this win meant that Bangladesh were ousted from the competition.
The hungrier side was always going to come up tops and by keeping a reckless Bangladesh to 137 Ireland took a massive stride. Bangladesh batted with the freedom of a team that believed they were already in the next stage and paid the price, stumbling after a shaky start. Mashrafe Mortaza's late heroics ensured they weren't far from a decent total, which is where some self-discipline could have changed the outcome of this game. Ireland applied themselves to their chase and got home by six wickets - the O'Brien brothers again proving their worth - to cue yells and whoops from their dug out.
Twenty20 isn't a format where you can check in and book yourself for bed and breakfast but there still is a need for stability. Instead Bangladesh started like a runway train, scoring 30 of their first 39 runs in boundaries, despite losing a wicket early. Three boundaries in five balls are plenty, but Siddique took a silly dance down the track and started the rot.
Mohammad Ashraful briefly threatened to make Ireland pay for a drop at first slip, pulling - a la Gordon Greenidge - over deep square leg and hitting Boyd Rankin over mid-on for sixes in one over, but then again steered to slip where Kevin O'Brien atoned for his earlier lapse. Predictably, William Porterfield turned to spin as the fielding restrictions were lifted and immediately Bangladesh tried to dominate, unsuccessfully. Johnston picked up third as Shakib Al Hasan picked out long-on, before tidy spin from both ends and a sudden spring in Ireland's step further confounded Bangladesh.
Tamim Iqbal paid the price for misjudging a single, caught inches short - and with his foot in the air after he dropped his bat - by a smart pick-and-throw from Niall O'Brien. Niall was in action minutes later, brilliantly stumping Mahmudullah, his foot an inch off the ground as he heaved, when standing up to Alex Cusack's medium-pace. -Cricinfo
Ireland beat Bangladesh in the 2007 World Cup and, pitted against the same side in a do-or-die clash in more familiar conditions, produced an encore to surge into the second stage of the World Twenty20. It will go down as one of the biggest moments in Ireland's cricket history and this win meant that Bangladesh were ousted from the competition.
The hungrier side was always going to come up tops and by keeping a reckless Bangladesh to 137 Ireland took a massive stride. Bangladesh batted with the freedom of a team that believed they were already in the next stage and paid the price, stumbling after a shaky start. Mashrafe Mortaza's late heroics ensured they weren't far from a decent total, which is where some self-discipline could have changed the outcome of this game. Ireland applied themselves to their chase and got home by six wickets - the O'Brien brothers again proving their worth - to cue yells and whoops from their dug out.
Twenty20 isn't a format where you can check in and book yourself for bed and breakfast but there still is a need for stability. Instead Bangladesh started like a runway train, scoring 30 of their first 39 runs in boundaries, despite losing a wicket early. Three boundaries in five balls are plenty, but Siddique took a silly dance down the track and started the rot.
Mohammad Ashraful briefly threatened to make Ireland pay for a drop at first slip, pulling - a la Gordon Greenidge - over deep square leg and hitting Boyd Rankin over mid-on for sixes in one over, but then again steered to slip where Kevin O'Brien atoned for his earlier lapse. Predictably, William Porterfield turned to spin as the fielding restrictions were lifted and immediately Bangladesh tried to dominate, unsuccessfully. Johnston picked up third as Shakib Al Hasan picked out long-on, before tidy spin from both ends and a sudden spring in Ireland's step further confounded Bangladesh.
Tamim Iqbal paid the price for misjudging a single, caught inches short - and with his foot in the air after he dropped his bat - by a smart pick-and-throw from Niall O'Brien. Niall was in action minutes later, brilliantly stumping Mahmudullah, his foot an inch off the ground as he heaved, when standing up to Alex Cusack's medium-pace. -Cricinfo