At World Cup, Ireland Beat England In Cricket, Yes Cricket!

Some have compared it to England beating Ireland at hurling.

Ireland's historic victory over England at the Cricket World Cup last week was as one of the most unlikely sporting highlights of the year.

Cricket barely registers in Ireland as a popular sport, but all that could change after a stunning shock comeback against one of the tournament favourites England at the ICC World Cup in Bangalore, India.

England looked to be cruising to victory when they ran up an impressive 327-8 target.

And Ireland looked dead and buried having run up just 115-5, when Kevin O'Brien stepped up and treated the crowd to a brutal display of power hitting.

O'Brien smashed 113 off just 63 balls, and in the process posted the fastest century in Cricket World Cup history.

Although O'Brien was run out in the penultimate over, John Mooney was on hand to finish the job off.

He smashed a four on the first ball of the last over, to beat England by three wickets, sparking wild celebrations from Bangalore to Dublin.

O'Brien told reporters it was "a long way the best innings I've played". "100 off 50 balls in a World Cup in front of a billion people under lights against England, it doesn't get any better," he said.

British newspapers asked: "Is this England's most humiliating defeat?"

The tabloid Sun newspaper said: "England were left looking like a pub side as Kevin O'Brien smashed the fastest ever World Cup century."

"Over the years, England's national sports teams have been on the wrong end of some infamous defeats," added the Daily Telegraph.

"Until yesterday, America's 1-0 victory in the football World Cup of 1950 was probably the most notorious. But the extraordinary triumph of Ireland's cricketers must rank alongside any sporting upset of yore."

In Ireland, newspapers toasted (pardon the pun) three of Ireland's stars: "Johnston, Mooney and O'Brien restore Irish Pride".

Taoisaech-elect Enda Kenny spoke for the nation when he paid tribute to the cricketing heroes.

"Ireland's cricketers exemplified all the best qualities of our nation, playing with courage and pride and showing that seemingly insurmountable odds can be overcome.

Their supreme effort will lift the spirits of every single Irish person," he said.

"Ireland's performance is truly inspiring, demonstrating that, with self-belief, the apparently impossible can be made possible and real change can occur."

Kevin O''Brien, 26, can now expect a lucrative offer from a club in India's Premier League.

It was not just his record-breaking century that caught the cricket world's imagination - he also sported a shocking purple hairstyle.

Together with other team mates, O'Brien dyed his hair purple in a charity drive for the Irish Cancer Society.

He's now reluctant to change it.

"My girlfriend doesn't really rate it. She's begging me to cut it off," he said, "but I might just hold onto it for a couple more weeks."