History-making Kevin O'Brien stuns England

BENGALURU, India (CMC):

Kevin O'Brien stunned England with the fastest World Cup hundred ever, and powered Ireland to an incredible three-wicket win yesterday.

O'Brien tore apart the England attack with 13 fours and six sixes in 113 from 63 balls, as Ireland, coached by former Trinidad & Tobago and West Indies all-rounder Phil Simmons, successfully completed the highest World Cup run chase ever of 328 for victory in their Group B match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

The 26-year-old all-rounder rewrote the record books, when he swung a delivery from lefty-arm spinner Michael Yardy through midwicket for two to reach his milestone from 50 balls, and propel Ireland to victory with five deliveries remaining.

O'Brien was sadly run out with 11 required from the same number of balls, but John Mooney, with whom he added 44 for the seventh wicket, formalised the result, when he whipped James Anderson through midwicket for four.

First two points

The victory gave Ireland their first two points of the competition, and moves them up to fifth, while England remain second in the group on three points.

"When we were 111 for five, I just said to myself, we could just potter around, and get 220 off 50 overs for eight or nine, and the game would have been pretty boring to watch," said O'Brien. "It wouldn't have been anything to watch on TV.

"I just chanced my arm, and said I'm going to be as positive as I can, and I got a few away, and didn't look back really."

Ireland gave firm evidence to the sceptics that one or two of the ICC Associate nations deserve a place in the quadrennial event.

It is the second straight World Cup in which they have upset one of the fancied sides, following their humiliation of Pakistan four years ago in the Caribbean.

The Irish looked out of their depth, after a run-a-ball 92 from Jonathan Trott, 81 from 86 deliveries from Ian Bell, and 59 from 50 balls from Kevin Pietersen that led England to 327 for eight from their allocation of 50 overs, after they chose to bat.

Memorable day

Mooney started a personally memorable day with four wickets for 63 runs from nine overs to be the most successful Ireland bowler, and Trent Johnston took two for 58 from his allotment of 10 overs.

The odds continued to be stacked against the Irish, when off-spinner Graeme Swann collected three wickets for 47 runs from 10 overs to leave them wobbling in the middle of the chase - but O'Brien's pyrotechnics shocked Ireland's hopes back to life.

Alex Cusack supported with 47 from 58 balls in a stand of 162 from 104 balls for the sixth wicket before he was run out with 55 still needed.

England will try to keep their World Cup hopes on track when they face South Africa on Sunday at the Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India, while Ireland will try to cut down India on the same day here.

The World Cup continues today with two matches. The first features South Africa against the Netherlands at the PCA Stadium in Chandigarh, India, while Pakistan meet Canada at the Premadasa Stadium in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo.

ENGLAND (maximum 50 overs)

A. Strauss b Dockrell 34K. Pietersen c wkpr N. O'Brien b Stirling 59J. Trott b Mooney 92I. Bell c Stirling b Mooney 81P. Collingwood c K. O'Brien b Mooney 16+M. Prior b Johnston 6T. Bresnan c Johnston b Mooney 4M. Yardy b Johnston 3G. Swann not out 9Extras: (b1, lb2, w20) 23TOTAL: (8 wkts, 50 overs ) 327

S. Broad, J. Anderson did not bat

Fall of wickets: 1-91, 2-111, 3-278, 4-288, 5-299, 6-312, 7-317, 8-327

Bowling: Rankin 7-0-51-0 (w4); Johnston 10-0-58-2; Cusack 4-0-39-0 (w1); Dockrell 10-0-68-1 (w5); Mooney 9-0-63-4 (w1); Stirling 10-0-45-1

IRELAND (target: 328 off 50 overs)

W. Porterfield b Anderson 0P. Stirling c Pietersen b Bresnan 32E. Joyce st Prior b Swann 32+N. O'Brien b Swann 29G. Wilson lbw b Swann 3K. O'Brien run out (+Prior/Bresnan) 113A. Cusack run out (Broad/Collingwood) 47J. Mooney not out 33T. Johnston not out 7Extras: (b5, lb16, w12) 33TOTAL: (7 wkts, 49.1 overs) 329

G. Dockrell, B. Rankin did not bat

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-62, 3-103, 4-106, 5-111, 6-273, 7-317

Bowling: Anderson 8.1-1-49-1 (w1); Broad 9-0-73-0 (w2); Bresnan 10-0-64-1 (w2); Yardy 7-0-49-0 (w2); Swann 10-0-47-3; Collingwood 5-0-26-0

Man of the Match: K. O'Brien (Ireland)

Umpires: Aleem Dar, Billy Bowden