A great day for the Irish!

[Richard]

Be prepared to cop alot if Ireland do indeed beat Pakistan.

I'm pretty confident that they'd have won more than 1 game in last year's C&G if that were going to happen.

Well, let's see how Ireland fare in the coming C&G...

It remains a shame, though, that we'll have 5 mismatches (and Heaven knows, maybe more if Bangladesh qualify, too) in the Super Eight now. What was shaping-up well to be the best WC since 1992 could now be even worse than 2003.

 

[Richard]

Ireland wins! What a great St. Patrick's day for them -- Irish eyes are really smiling!

TBH I'd imagine about 1\10th of the country at best have even noticed after the rugby heartbreak.

 

[Prince EWS]

Well, let's see how Ireland fare in the coming C&G...

It remains a shame, though, that we'll have 5 mismatches (and Heaven knows, maybe more if Bangladesh qualify, too) in the Super Eight now. What was shaping-up well to be the best WC since 1992 could now be even worse than 2003.

I'm quite sure that given Pakistan's current form and missing squad members, matches against them in the Super 8s would be mismatches as well though.

And if Bangladesh do indeed manage to qualify, I'd hazzard a guess to say they deserved it by performing well and defeating good teams, and hence the liklihood of further mismatches would be decreased.

 

[Richard]

Why do two freaks suggest such a thing?

Seriously, even Pakistan I'd never have believed could be as awful as that.

 

[andyc]

Oh come on Richard, can't you at least pretend to be happy for Ireland?

 

[Richard]

What's the point pretending?

I'm disappointed there are now going to be another 5 farcical games in the Super Eight, when I was expecting the 8 genuine ODI-class teams to be there.

Ireland's presence isn't going to do anything but damage the credibility of the tournament.

 

[steds]

I'm disappointed there are now going to be another 5 farcical games in the Super Eight, when I was expecting the 8 genuine ODI-class teams to be there.

Which Pakistan aren't anyway atm.

 

[Richard]

Well you do have to wonder at the moment, yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously tho - it's a shame how many people will be drawing satisfaction from the elimination of those nasty cheating Pakistanis.

 

[Goughy]

Why do two freaks suggest such a thing?

Seriously, even Pakistan I'd never have believed could be as awful as that.

2 for 2 in a day is hardly freakish. Its 100%. Add in the Ire-Zim game and others to be played and it seems you are being a little harsh.

It was a great game (Ire-Pak), why not celebrate it?

 

[Prince EWS]

Why do two freaks suggest such a thing?

Seriously, even Pakistan I'd never have believed could be as awful as that.

The Pakistan match freak doesn't suggest it to me as much as the simple lack of general form they had going into the tournament and the players they had unavailable. If they had made the Super 8 stage, I would have been surprised to see them win a game.

As for Bangladesh... they are quite obviously improving whether you wish to believe it or not. One freak result clearly proves little to nothing, but given theyll have to, in all likelihood, have to either beat Sri Lanka or keep them to a close game to qualify, I think their presence in the final 8 would be well justified and I'd expect them to compete.

 

[Prince EWS]

Which Pakistan aren't anyway atm.

Exactly my point really. I doubt they would have competed in the Super 8 anyway so Ireland winning does little to hurt it.

 

[Richard]

2 for 2 in a day is hardly freakish. Its 10%. Add in the Ire-Zim game and others to be played and it seems you are being a little harsh.

It was a great game (Ire-Pak), why not celebrate it?

Because it ruins the tournament?

 

[Kriketer]

Richard, you got no right to call Pakistanis cheat just b/c of 2 players. Ever wonder y the ball started reverse swinging for England around 20th over in '05 Ashes! There are other quite a few cheating scandals related to England, & i am not in a mood to describe them for now. You are a staff member and u should lead by example.

Anyways good game by Ireland..who they shock few more nations in the Super 8.

 

[Richard]

The Pakistan match freak doesn't suggest it to me as much as the simple lack of general form they had going into the tournament and the players they had unavailable. If they had made the Super 8 stage, I would have been surprised to see them win a game.

Even given this lack of form, you'd expect them to beat a team that is less than the weakest First-Class county in England.

As for Bangladesh... they are quite obviously improving whether you wish to believe it or not. One freak result clearly proves little to nothing, but given theyll have to, in all likelihood, have to either beat Sri Lanka or keep them to a close game to qualify, I think their presence in the final 8 would be well justified and I'd expect them to compete.

And we wait to see if such a thing happens. Nonetheless, at the current time Bangladesh are far more likely to qualify than not.

 

[Richard]

Richard, you got no right to call Pakistanis cheat just b/c of 2 players. Ever wonder y the ball started reverse swinging for England around 20th over in '05 Ashes! There are other quite a few cheating scandals related to England, & i am not in a mood to describe them for now. You are a staff member and u should lead by example.

Anyways good game by Ireland..who they shock few more nations in the Super 8.

WTF? Where in the blazes did I call Pakistan cheaters? What has The Ashes 2005 to do with anything, for that matter?

I quite clearly said that Pakistan are too often branded cheats and many other inappropriate things.

 

[Prince EWS]

Even given this lack of form, you'd expect them to beat a team that is less than the weakest First-Class county in England.

Well I expected no such thing, for starters. In any rate, they couldn't do it.
My point is, it doesn't ruin the tournament because I doubt Pakistan would have provided for many competitive games in the Super 8 stage in any rate.

 

[DCC_legend]

Probably the only person actually living in Ireland (Northern Ireland) i've got to say im actually really proud of them. I didn't watch the whole match, only about 30 mins, but from what i saw they looked pumped up and determined not to let all the fans down. St. Patricks day too, part of the irish heritage, i'm sure that was stuck in the back of their minds when they went out to play!!

Bring on the Super 8s!!!

 

[steds]

Probably the only person actually living in Ireland

Woah what happened? Mass genocide?

 

[Richard]

Well I expected no such thing, for starters. In any rate, they couldn't do it.
My point is, it doesn't ruin the tournament because I doubt Pakistan would have provided for many competitive games in the Super 8 stage in any rate.

So... if someone were to say to you that it's Pakistan vs Sri Lanka tomorrow or Ireland vs Sri Lanka tomorrow (before this game), which would you expect to be the closest?

 

[Goughy]

Because it ruins the tournament?

hahaha. What rubbish.

Its called competition. Its not played on paper you know. Teams that win games deserve to go through, teams that lose deserve to go home.

Thats the whole point. Its not played in a stats bubble