Can Ireland Do It Again?

One of the biggest shocks in sport took place on Indian soil on March 2nd 2011. In fact, history was made. If you’re in any doubt as to what game I’m taking about then read any Irish paper, tune into any Irish radio station or generally just ask as random Irish man, woman or child and they will tell you. Ireland BEAT England in CRICKET!!!!!

OK, so it may not be the prevailing sport on Irish soil but I guarantee there’s going to be about 3 million new fans of the sport this morning and the the name ‘Kevin O’Brien’ is on everybody’s lips. Just when it looked all over for the boys in green, drastic fielding errors from England and a history making century from Ireland had them back in the game and with nothing to lose they went for it.

Not to take away from the brilliance of Kevin O’Brien, but for Ireland to set a new record World Cup run chase, smashing 215 from the last 25 overs, something went very badly wrong for an England bowling and fielding unit who had reigned over the World Twenty20 last year and the Ashes.

O’Brien’s innings will at least have focused English minds, with the team now knowing they need two wins from their final three matches to reach the quarter-finals. Their next game is against South Africa, the tournament’s best team so far, but they need two wins from their final three matches to reach the quarter-finals.

Ireland, on the other hand, are complete underdogs to get out of the group, in fact you can have them at 100/1 but a little luck and a little more magic and they could very well just do it! Bet the guy who backed them in-play with