Even the most cynical cricket fan (and I more than most) might have been dismayed to learn the composite parts of the Irish team at the World Cup. The squad is made up in no small part by players born and bred outside Ireland - indeed, at last count it included three Australians and a South African.

However, the battling display in the tied match against Test-playing Zimbabwe won over a wealth of new fans, and the amazing St Patrick’s Day victory over mighty Pakistan completed an unbelievable fairy tale.

The hundreds of Irish fans who travelled to the West Indies to support this seeming rag-bag of cricketing ability also brought warmth and colour not normally associated with cricket in the paradise island of Jamaica.

The one-day version of the game is always more pleasing on the eye; now it is even more pleasing on television station bank balances, punctuated as it is by advertising at every convenient break. However, audiences at the game itself or watching on TV around the world could never have expected the level of excitement in both games.

Ireland’s opener against Zimbabwe was in truth a battle between two teams not expected to impress at this year’s event. It was an inauspicious start, with Ireland losing Londonderry-born opener William Porterfield in the first over before inspired batting from Jeremy Bray and stability from Eoin Morgan steadied the ship. They then tumbled to 89 for five before the brilliance of Bray then came to the fore.

The Australian batsman’s unbeaten 115 will certainly go down as one of the best knocks in World Cup history. It helped Ireland to a respectable total of 221 and was epitomised by the square-cut four which brought up his - and indeed Ireland’s - first-ever World Cup century.

Now it was time for the bowlers to keep Irish eyes smiling - but when Zimbabwe took 26 off the first five overs, it appeared the dream was dying. Then Boyd Rankin came bounding in for the sixth over of the innings; cue the latest twist in the proceedings. The 23-year-old Irishman seemed destined for despair as two chances in the same over were dropped by second slip and a wicketkeeper who should know better. But it is third time lucky as Niall O’Brien clung on with glee to dismiss Duffin.

Vusi Sibanda, Zimbabwe’s other opener, went on to flail Rankin and Langford-Smith to all ends of the ground as the African nation reached the 20-over mark sitting pretty on 89 for one. A mini collapse then threatened to derail Zimbabwe’s progress as a succession of silly shots reduced them to 128-3.

The defining shot of the innings helped to bring the game towards a stunning climax as Sibanda, who had previously made light work of the Irish attack, managed to step back onto his stumps when on 67. Stuart Matsikenyeri and Brendan Taylor went on to smash 70 off ten overs before their stand was brought to an abrupt end when Kyle McCallan ran out Taylor.

Even at this point the most optimistic Irishmen, most of whom were sitting apprehensively by the boundary edge, could not have dreamt of anything other than a respectable defeat. A succession of wickets and dot balls left Zimbabwe needing nine runs off 12 balls with three wickets in hand - by no means a difficult feat, especially when considering the perceived class divide between the two nations.

Nine were needed from Andrew White’s over with the final pair together - and with a single required from the final ball Matsi made no contact. A final winning run was attempted, Rainsford was run out - and Ireland’s blarney army of fans went into raptures.

What followed two days later in the same stadium was nothing short of a cricketing miracle, an even more tense nailbiter ending with a three-wicket win over Pakistan that nobody could have predicted.

Led by their brilliant wicket-keeper batsman Niall O'Brien, who top-scored with 72, they reached a rain-adjusted target of 128 with three wickets remaining in near darkness.

The result means Pakistan, ranked fourth in the world, are already out of the tournament, while unbeaten Ireland on the verge of qualifying for the Super 8s. The Irish dream is well and truly alive, so West Indies beware!

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