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While the participation of minnows is being questioned all over the cricket world with apprehension and disdain, Irish charm has clicked and put up an utterly fantastic performance in their debut at the ninth world cup with a tie against the veteran Zimbabwean team.

The match wasn’t altogether pre-decided as the Zimbabwe has been in a great turmoil for over the years, but the resultant tie-up wasn’t also expected. Even if a conflict-torn team like Zimbabwe has six overs to go, 15 runs to make and four wickets in the hand, against a team like Ireland, the victory becomes inevitable. But that wasn’t exactly the case in Jamaica on 15th March. This was the 22nd tie-up in one day internationals and the 3rd in the world cup history. Kingston’s Sabina park is unlikely to forget such a fun job accomplished by Irish army.

Zimbabwe got early breakthrough by getting rid of WTS Porterfield courtesy to Mpofu just on duck. EJG Morgan managed to reach 21 when Brent made him play loose shot which resulted in a fine catch by Chigumbura. NJ O’Brien and AC Botha both made single runs. KJ O’Brien made 10 while AR White contributed valuable 28 runs to the score. End of tail D Langford-Smith also wagged and made 15 runs on just 17 balls.

The pick of the batsmen was Bray. In his glorious bash of 115 runs on just 137 balls was a treat to watch and it warmed the hearts of Irish fans to no end. In his 221 minutes stay at crease from start to end he banged 2 grand sixers and 10 sweet fours. The major features of his marvelous innings were his intelligent shot selection, his bubbliness and presence of mind and most of all the way he carried his innings from the outset to finish. He took the onus of Irish batting and kept up to the promises. Jeremy Bray, jotted down his name in cricketing books with a style with his 2nd century. Bray, who became only the sixth batsman from a non-Test-playing team to score a hundred in the World Cup batted with the average of almost 84.

Ireland managed to reach to the decent total of 221 runs. As of the Zimbabwe bowlers; CB Mpofu, E Chigumbura and GB Brent all achieved 2 wickets each, while ER Rainsford and SC Williams got 1 wicket each.

Opening start for Zimbabwe was quite good and it breezed to 26 when Duffin was ousted by Rankin on the last ball of 5th over. Sibanda took attack to inexperienced Irish bowling and hit 9 fours and made 67 runs on 84 balls with the average of 80 runs. S Matsikenyeri showed resilience till the end and remained not out with the score of 73 on just 76 balls, but his knock got shrouded in the fact that Zimbabwe was unable to win the match at the end.

Though the game remained as entertaining as anyone could be, the real enthralling crunch came in the final overs. If one picks up random chunks from the match, it just shows Zimbabwe couldn’t hold to a certain victory and how Ireland kept their cool. There was a time when Zimbabwe were 93 for 1, and then they were 133-5. Though Matsikenyeri and Brendon Taylor brought some discipline in the team afterwards, but the decline was on the cards. Another frenzy came when Sibanda after playing a brilliant knock, knocked out his stumps and were Irish lads ecstatic?

Zimbabwe would still be wondering how on earth they blew this up.