Ireland shock sends Pakistan home (Cricket world cup)

Ireland produced one of the greatest victories in cricket's rich history by beating Pakistan on St Patrick's Day amid unbelievable tension in Jamaica.

Led by their brilliant wicket-keeper batsman Niall O'Brien, they reached a rain-adjusted target of 128 with three wickets remaining in near darkness.

Ireland's fans, who had been there to witness the tie against Zimbabwe, could barely contain themselves afterwards.

Wicket-keeper O'Brien, axed by Kent in 2006 because they rate Geraint Jones above him, hit a brilliant 72, easily the best effort by any of the batsmen on a green wicket which Ireland's seamer loved.

But when he tried to hit off-spinner Shoaib Malik for six with 21 needed and six wickets still in hand, he was stumped.

Panic set in as Andrew White was caught at short leg and Kyle McCallan edged to slip in the next over, off Rao Iftikhar.

But O'Brien's brother Kevin stayed to the end as he and skipper Trent Johnston eked out the remaining runs needed.

Ireland could now lose to West Indies and still qualify for the Super Eight stage, but they are not definitely there yet.

Pakistan, on the other hand, rated fourth in the world in one-day internationals, go home.

Ireland held every catch going, produced some inspired stops in the field and even shrugged off some dubious umpiring decisions.

Their only failing was a generous offering of 23 wides, but still Pakistan came up short.

The first opportunity for Irish celebration came when Dave Langford-Smith bowled a peach of a delivery at Mohammad Hafeez in the first over, which the batsman edged behind.

When Boyd Rankin then had Younis Khan caught in the slips for a duck, the Test nation had to rebuild from 15-2.

Imran Nazir (24) and Mohammad Yousuf (15) added 41, but when Rankin and Langford-Smith were replaced by Johnston and Andre Botha, the two big wickets fell.

Yousuf drove a wide ball from Johnston straight to point before Inzamam edged his third ball to the solitary slip.

Given obvious confidence by that strike, Botha (2-5 from eight overs) began to extract huge inswing and made life intolerable for Nazir.

Eventually, the opener departed for 24, Eoin Morgan taking his second catch in the slips.

Wickets continued to tumble, despite the best efforts of Kamran Akmal (27), and Johnston's captaincy was spot on as he brought back Boyd for some extra pace.

The bowler dug a couple in, and both Akmal and Azhar Mahmood spooned catches to Johnston at mid-wicket.

After Mohammad Sami and Iftikhar had added a gutsy 25 for the ninth wicket, spinner McCallan took the last two wickets as wild slogs were held in the deep.

Jeremy Bray, the hero against Zimbabwe, was ajudged lbw to Sami, who also trapped Morgan the same way to make it 15-2.

O'Brien, who moved from Kent to Northants in January, and William Porterfield added a vital 37 for the Irish.

Then Hafeez's arm ball produced the third wicket, Porterfield playing on to his stumps.

But O'Brien took a liking to the off-spinner, cutting and driving for precious boundaries and Pakistan were toiling again.

Suddenly, Inzamam's men were given a lift when umpire Brian Jerling, who had already made some strange decisions, elected to give Botha out caught at short leg.

A further 11 runs were added after that before the rain came, and when play resumed the umpires soon began looking at their meters again.

But play continued, and O'Brien continued to bat freely. He hit Malik for one straight six but could not repeat the feat.

When Iftikhar immediately took his two wickets, 16 were still needed and only seven wickets remained.

Kevin O'Brien and skipper Johnston eked out the singles, before a Johnston square cut for four and some Pakistan wides finally eased the tension.

Finally, Johnston freed his arms and slammed Mahmood into the stands at long-on. The party could begin.

A much better article from www.cricinfo.com

A magnificent performance from Ireland, and an innings of real class from their wicketkeeper, Niall O'Brien, secured them their first World Cup win, edging aside Pakistan by 3 wickets who were sent tumbling back home with their trophy tails between their legs. That Ireland should achieve it in front of a sizeable and partisan crowd was one thing; to accomplish the feat on St Patrick's day quite another.

Chasing 133 on a difficult pitch, with overhead conditions and a green pitch assisting Pakistan's bowlers, O'Brien led Ireland's response with a superb 72. His innings began with a relative flurry of boundaries - off an angry Mohammad Sami and a rather more placid Umar Gul - before dropping anchor, absorbing the pressure and deadening Pakistan's potency. He came to the crease after Sami had removed Jeremy Bray - Ireland's hero in their memorable tie against Zimbabwe two days ago - and a nervous Eoin Morgan, both trapped in front. Batting was not easy.

Sami was hostile but O'Brien's resolve, not to mention ability, was up to the task - as was William Porterfield. A natural aggressor, he slunk into cautious defence - the situation required as such - before Mohammad Hafeez's clever arm-ball induced a thick inside edge. 62 for 3 then became 70 for 4 owing to a worryingly poor error in judgement from the umpire Brian Jerling when he gave Andre Botha out, caught by Hafeez at short-leg when he quite clearly hadn't touched it. The batsman's horror was matched only by Hafeez's surprise.

A rain delay forced the players off the pitch, with Pakistan looking distraught, and the calculus of Duckworth-Lewis altered Ireland's total. On the resumption O'Brien attacked, crashing Iftikhar Anjum for a sumptuous cover drive and, shortly afterwards, smacking Shoaib Malik over his head for a huge six. His resolve weakened when he attempted a repeat shot and was smartly stumped, cueing an Ireland collapse of 3 for 5 in seven balls. And though there were warning signs of tail-end panic, O'Brien's brother, Kevin, showed the same dogged tenacity as his sibling, nudging a determined 16 to record a famous win. Pakistan trudged off in the gloom, airport-bound, despondent and shell-shocked. Losing to West Indies was regrettable enough, but to Ireland? The repercussions could be messy.

If the bowling was underpar, it was the performance of their batsmen which really cost them the match. Reckless against West Indies in their opening match, today they struggled against the moving ball on a seamer-friendly surface. True, Ireland won a good toss; yes, the pitch was made for Ireland's wobblers. But Pakistan's much vaunted lineup were complacent, impatient and inexcusably careless. Dave Langford-Smith got the ball rolling with an early wicket, but it was Boyd Rankin - the tournament's tallest bowler at 6 foot 7 - who really caused problems, gaining steepling bounce and accounting for Younis Khan, Pakistan's pivotal No.3.

Imran Nazir was determined to counterattack and did so with Mohammad Yousuf in a steadying, calming partnership of 41 before Trent Johnston brought himself into the attack. Yet Yousuf, usually so nerveless, slapped him straight to backward point to leave Pakistan wobbling on 56 for 3. In came Inzamam-ul-Haq, the man who thrives (and often succeeds) in a crisis - but he too was troubled by the moving ball and edged Botha to Eoin Morgan's right who took a fine catch. Was the unthinkable happening?

Kamran Akmal was the only Pakistan batsman to show the necessary application - that alone tells a story - before he was caught, quite brilliantly, by Johnston diving (and winding himself in the process) at midwicket. With each wicket, Ireland's fielding intensity rose. They were dynamic and near faultless.

Labelled as minnows, underdogs, and chirpy hopefuls before the tournament begun, Ireland's performance today was as much a poke in the eye to the detractors who argue against Associates playing at this level. The Ireland coach, Adrian Birrell, said before today's game that all the pressure would be on Pakistan. It showed, too. With Bangladesh upsetting India, it has been a day of banana skins.

Will Luke is editorial assistant of Cricinfo

Well don't know about whether this game has heralded the decline of Pakistani cricket.For one,cricket in the subcontinent won't suffer.On the other hand,cricket's popularity was going down long before the West Indies hit a trough in the mid-90s.So I don't think India & Pakistan will decline-but these defeats show why these subcontinental teams can never dominate cricket the way the West Indies or Australia did/do.Barring Sri Lanka,these teams are too temperamental & dependent on sheer talent.

Woolmer may get the boot & so could Inzy-There have been reports of divisions between the Islamist cricketers(led by Inzi) & the secular ones led by Younis khan.Younis Khan looks set to be the next captain & he looks like a smart bloke.The bigger problem is the lose of Shoaib & Mohd.Asif.

There has been the mandatory effigy burnings & 'death to Inzy' & 'death to Woolmer'Fortunately or Unfortunately,there is too much domestic turmoil in Pakistan with regard to Musharraf firing Pakistan's Chief Justice,so this won't figure too highly on their radars.

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