In the first upset of the 2011 World Cup, minnows Ireland stunned England by three wickets in a Group B match at the Chinnaswamy stadium here that went all the way to the wire.
In the first upset of the 2011 World Cup, minnows Ireland stunned England by three wickets in a Group B match at the Chinnaswamy stadium here that went all the way to the wire.
ADVERTISEMENT
Set to score 328 in 50 overs, the underdogs achieved the target in 49.1 overs, when upcoming all-rounder John Mooney hit James Anderson's first ball of the last over for a four.
Earlier, England scored 327 for eight in the stipulated 50 overs after skipper Andrew Strauss won the toss and elected to bat.
Though the much-experienced England was confident of winning over Ireland as it did against the Netherlands at Nagpur Feb 22, the fastest century in this World Cup, by middle order Kevin O'Brien in a 162-run sixth wicket partnership with Alexander Cusack, 47, turned the heat on England.
With shoddy bowling and mediocre fielding, England never looked at being in the game after O'Brien and Cusack went about scoring at will, with the centurion hitting six mighty sixes and 13 fours in his 113-run innings.
Only English spinner Grame Swann was successful, taking three Irish wickets, while pacers James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan were mauled.