The schedule had Ireland’s players down for three hours of nets this morning, but it was announced in the aftermath of this victory that their commitments had become “flexible”.
The Irish know how to celebrate a win, of course, and this was one of the most important in their history, putting them through to the Super Eights as Bangladesh became the first seeded team to be knocked out.
Ireland beat two Test-playing nations, Pakistan and Bangladesh, in the 2007 World Cup and a measure of how Irish cricket is progressing was that this win did not come as a big shock. “To the players, it does not feel like an upset,” Niall O’Brien, the man of the match, said.
O’Brien and his younger brother, Kevin, played the two crucial innings as Ireland overcame Bangladesh’s total of 137 for eight. Jamie Siddons, the Bangladesh coach, criticised his side for a series of “ridiculous shots”.
Niall O’Brien, the Northamptonshire wicketkeeper, hit 40 from 25 balls, including three leg-side sixes in one over, despite injuring his right ankle while fielding. Kevin, who is on trial with Nottinghamshire, saw Ireland home with a cool 39 not out from 17 balls. They play India in the group stage tomorrow, but Ireland’s qualification is assured.
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Bangladesh
Tamim Iqbal run out 22
Junaid Siddique c Bray b Johnston 13
*Mohammad Ashraful c K J O’Brien b Johnston 14
Shakib Al Hasan c Wilson b Johnston 7
Mohammad Mahmudullah st N J O’Brien b Cusack 7
Raqibul Hasan b McCallan 13
†Mushfiqur Rahim c Mooney b West 14
Mashrafe Mortaza not out 33
Naeem Islam b Rankin 7
Abdur Razzak not out 0
Extras (lb 1, w 6) 7
Total (8 wkts, 20 overs) 137
Rubel Hossain did not bat.
Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-40, 3-50, 4-61, 5-66, 6-90, 7-94, 8-117.
Bowling: Rankin 4-0-36-1; Johnston 4-0-20-3; West 4-0-25-1; McCallan 4-0-17-1; Cusack 4-0-38-1.
Ireland
J P Bray c Raqibul b Mortaza 2
*W T S Porterfield c and b Razzak 23
†N J O’Brien c Rubel b Shakib 40
G C Wilson c Ashraful b Mortaza 10
J F Mooney not out 17
K J O’Brien not out 39
Extras (lb 4, w 3) 7
Total (4 wkts, 18.2 overs) 138
D T Johnston, A R Cusack, W K McCallan, R M West and W B Rankin did not bat.
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-61, 3-71, 4-89.
Bowling: Mortaza 4-0-30-2; Rubel 3.2-0-31-0; Mahmudullah 3-0-23-0; Naeem 2-0-9-0; Shakib 3-0-23-1; Razzak 3-0-18-1.Umpires: N J Llong and S J A Taufel (Aus).