Group D - Ireland, Pakistan, West Indies, Zimbabwe

[Ricco_M]

I'm totally speechless...what another great game for Ireland, really entertaining as well. I could barely watch!! This surely has to be the greatest upset in the history of the Cricket World Cup!! And what about the Irish fans they were immense! All on our St.Paddy's Day too - it's like a dream!! I think half of the players and members of teams in my local league are out there in Jamaica watching - I recognise so many faces in the crowd!!

Remember that the Ireland team are all amateurs who all had to get extended time of their work for the WC and the build up to it! They might need another month off now!! Hope this really lifts the profile of the sport here in Ireland - that is what the World Cup is all about, letting the smaller nations take part for exposure, it's now an added bonus that we could be through to the next round. I know the ICU are working hard for the Ireland players to be fully professional in the near future.

I hope we can get a few more ODI's now against the 'bigger team's' after all we got official ODI status in June last year (it's annoying that all the Sky commentators seem to forget this saying Kenya is the only 'minnow' with ODI status) England came over to Stormont in June last year to play our 1st official ODI match and we gave them a good match in front of a sell out 8,000 strong crowd so the support is there!!

Anyway sorry for the long Post but as a lifelong Ireland Cricket supporter I have a lot to say at this fabulous time!!

I just wish I could join in the celebrations out in Jamaica as the players and all their friends and family are meeting up with all the Irish fans for the mother of all Parties!!

 

[Deleted member 11215]

I think Danish could of won it for you but i dunno why he left out. Also all this talk of players going but whos gonna come in? all the players you've brought in so far havent been good enough and get kicked out. Iqbal will probably come in and hes crap!

 

[hassan]

I was amazed Pak selectors not choosing Dani today... he would have done soo much with his spin and i feel the irish wud ave been very unmofrtable against himm...

Inzi out. Malik at no.3. Fawad Alam in. Get a pair of openers and play them all year around dont change them

 

[Stephen Bailey]

Having seen the highlights I really think the Irish bowlers deserve far more credit than they've received. They reaped the rewards for getting the ball in the right area. A couple of loose shots certainly didn't help (Yousuf and Akmal), but the majority of the wickets were because the ball was on a good line and length and there is no substitute for that. Thoroughly deserved win for Ireland.

 

[rudeypooh]

Congrats to Ireland, what a display in fielding and batting. Bowling wasn't to the best of levels as majority of the wickets came through Pakistani batting errors, like in the West Indies game, playing to erratic with no real game plan or strategy. Fielding was amazing especially in the catching department, really impressed with Johnston's running backwards diving catch, and their batting, simply perfect under pressure, which is not really expected in a minnow team.

Overall great effort by Ireland, well done boys.

Time to drop Inzi and Woolmer and bring a newer, fresher team.

 

[Pakistani Army]

Yeah very much steve....Azhar and Kamran same shots....for god's sake there's 20 full bloody overs to go and play that shot...you idiots!

 

[hassan]

yeah man same here... Akmal playing a bloody hook shot ... they have no common sense look at the irish ones they hadly went after our bowling like K'O Brien he was leaving thos kind of balls even at the end... SHAME ON OUR BATSMEN

 

[Griffo]

who cares id rather watch ireland play than pakistan thats what you get for the asif ahktar thing its karma i know they didnt play because of "injuries" but warne got a year they both deserved 2

 

[Stephen Bailey]

Yeah very much steve....Azhar and Kamran same shots....for god's sake there's 20 full bloody overs to go and play that shot...you idiots!

Certainly not clever strokes when you factor in the situation and the pitch.

@ rudeypooh - I really don't think it was down to particularly poor batting. Hafeez and Younis both got good balls, Inzy's wasn't a particularly great ball, but it was in the right area and Inzy hasn't exactly been in the greatest of knick of late. Shoaib Malik got one that bounced and jagged in on him.

I'm sure if Yousuf, Akmal and Mahmood look back they will wonder what they were doing, but the damage had already already done by the time Akmal and Mahmood were in. That still isn't much of a defence for the shots they played, but Pakistan were always going to struggle to reach a average total with the top and middle order gone.

 

[rudeypooh]

Certainly not clever strokes when you factor in the situation and the pitch.

@ rudeypooh - I really don't think it was down to particularly poor batting. Hafeez and Younis both got good balls, Inzy's wasn't a particularly great ball, but it was in the right area and Inzy hasn't exactly been in the greatest of knick of late. Shoaib Malik got one that bounced and jagged in on him.

I'm sure if Yousuf, Akmal and Mahmood look back they will wonder what they were doing, but the damage had already already done by the time Akmal and Mahmood were in. That still isn't much of a defence for the shots they played, but Pakistan were always going to struggle to reach a average total with the top and middle order gone.

True, they need a steady opening pair, which they just haven't got. They need a left and right combo, which causes the bowler to change his angle more often than he wishes.

But Woolmer as coach has been a huge disappointment ever since the early exist of the South African world cup in 2003.

Any ideas for a new coach and captain? would be nice to hear your views.

 

[hassan]

hell with the coach... its the bloody players job to perform and play properly.. the coaches dont do much... Pak should now atleast sort out a decent opeing pair... and stick with it for GOD SAKE

 

[Stephen Bailey]

Any ideas for a new coach

I could see Ray Jennings actually doing a decent job. If a squad of players really needs shaking up or a reality check (as if todays wasn't enough anyway), then he is the man. I feel the way he coached South Africa from late 2004 up to when Micky Arthur came in, set them in the right direction. Some of his methods can be described as "original" to say the least!

New captain is tough. Apart from Yousuf, in the last year or so, the majority of the players don't seem to have really cared about the consequences of certain actions. It is criminal that a team with the talent that Pakistan has can play in such a care free manner. If they are to move forward, then the whole attitude and mindset needs to change and it will need a strong character to do this.

 

[rudeypooh]

New captain is tough. Apart from Yousuf, in the last year or so, the majority of the players don't seem to have really cared about the consequences of certain actions. It is criminal that a team with the talent that Pakistan has can play in such a care free manner. If they are to move forward, then the whole attitude and mindset needs to change and it will need a strong character to do this.

Don't really see any Wasim Akram's in the pipeline

 

[smssia0112]

who cares id rather watch ireland play than pakistan thats what you get for the asif ahktar thing its karma i know they didnt play because of "injuries" but warne got a year they both deserved 2

Exactly what I was thinking this morning when I heard, all I can say to this is lol. It's the only thing that sums it up.

What goes around comes around.

 

[m_vaughan]

Pakistan must do something to make sure their players are able to adapt and apply themselves to overseas conditions.