Bangladesh 139-8. Looking good for a Irish win.

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Mark.

Well, Ireland have just won! Great result. How I wish I was in Barbados to celebrate with them; I am sure that they know how to do so......better than anyone else!

This was originally slated to be an India vs Pakistan match and some fans from those countries were present. Not surprisingly, the Indians were supporting Ireland while the Pakistani fans backed Bangladesh. So, I guess we won!

OK so how long before Ireland are admitted to the Test playing nations now?

They have beaten Pakistan, and Bangladesh and tied with Zimbabwe so I don't think anyone could complain, they are definately a stronger side than Zimbabwe and probably on a near par with Bangladesh, and this without Joyce at the moment. To me they should be playing at the highest level alongside Bangladesh and have a chance to develop.

seeing as they tied with Zim, how do you get that they are definitely better?

true they caught pakistan napping, and have beaten bangladesh, but then zim has beaten bangladesh too....

This game proved that without the assistance of a slow and low pitch the Bangla bowlers don't offer too much. On a pitch with good bounce but little turn their bowlers struggled against the batting might of Porterfield, Bray and Kevin O'Brien. Bangladesh have come on but still have a lot of work to do.

Ireland have beaten them convincingly, well done. Had they batted second I would suggest the result would have been reversed. Keep Ireland playing ODIs but make sure there are more against the Test playing nations, they will then improve gradually.

Ireland have a big future infront of them. May be they will win a world cup before England and South Africa do :-) To me Ireland is the emerging team of the tournament. They have a talented group of cricketers who are really committed and that funny chicken dance go on top of everything :-)

I would disagree. I think they have a group of cricketers who know what their game is about. They have a couple of batsmen (Porterfield and Niall O'Brien and maybe Eoin Morgan) who can play. They have a decent keeper. The bowling attack is nothing more than pedestrian but they stick to the old-fashioned virtues of line and length. None of them would get close to even the English side - which says something.

However, what they lack in talent they make up for in application.

I agree. If they do find better talent they will be a driving force in world cricket. It's because they seem to understand the rhythm of the game.

Niall O'Brien might... we know what England are like with wicketkeepers. And Eion Morgan will be just as good as Ed Joyce in a year or two, and we all know where Joyce is at the moment.

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"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose."
- Ayrton Senna

I heard through the haze of my waking moments this morning someone on the BBC World Service saying that Ireland have now earned the right to be playing regular first class ODI matches. I believe - but I am not sure and I don't know where to check - that he meant that they will now have regular ODIs, not just that they deserve them. Does anyone know anything about this?

I am personally very happy to see a new force on the scene as the result of this World Cup. To everyone who has complained about the loss of the Pakistan v India match, I would say that, with respect, those teams had their chances and blew them. It would be great for the game in general - though admittedly not necessarily for the short term profit seekers in the TV stations and perhaps in some of the national boards - if we could have one new force coming to the fore every four years like this.

Well done, Ireland: welcome to the club!

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Money won't buy you friends. But it gets you a better class of enemy.
Spike Milligan