Green giants send WC bosses reeling

FE Team | Published: March 04, 2011 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

NEW DELHI, Mar 3 (AFP): Ireland's sensational World Cup victory over England left Andrew Strauss's Ashes winners battling to salvage their credibility Thursday and sent international cricket bosses reeling. Ireland struck a major blow for the game's second tier nations with their three-wicket win in Bangalore which saw Kevin O'Brien smash the fastest World Cup hundred and the underdogs pull off the highest successful run chase. The victory, already regarded as the biggest shock in the history of the tournament, eclipsing even Ireland's own win over Pakistan in 2007, predictably had England's demanding media sharpening their knives. "England were left looking like a pub side," said the tabloid Sun newspaper. Ireland won with five balls to spare as they finished on 329 for seven after England had been cruising when they reduced their opponents to 111 for five. But O'Brien's brutal hitting, which brought him a century off 50 balls, turned the match on its head. "Over the years, England's national sports teams have been on the wrong end of some infamous defeats," said the Daily Telegraph. "Until yesterday, America's 1-0 victory in the football World Cup of 1950 was probably the most notorious. But the extraordinary triumph of Ireland's cricketers must rank alongside any sporting upset of yore." The 26-year-old O'Brien, who was eventually out for a whirlwind 113 off 63 balls, plays for humble Irish club side Railway Union, but already has his sights set on an Indian Premier League contract. "Who wouldn't want to play in the IPL? A lot of people have said that Twenty20 suits me, the way I swing the bat and hit a few sixes," said O'Brien.