When addressing someone who is brighter than they first appear, my Mum has a saying: "You're not as green as you're cabbage looking". Well, after the latest amazing game at Bangalore, the Irishmen in green were the bright-eyed victors and the England team were looking like cabbages.
Kevin O'Brien's dyed hair may have appeared a bit insipid but his batting had been full-blooded, to the cost of Andrew Strauss and his bowling attack, especially poor Stuart Broad whose injury lay-off had left him struggling for line, length,pace or imagination. OK, so the rest of the team were afflicted by all sorts of yips, with no fewer than five dropped catches, including rare fumbles by the skipper and even Matt Prior off awkward but eminently catchable high swirlers. Nevertheless, Ireland's recovery from a seemingly impossible situation at the halfway stage to nick the win in the final over was remarkable. For a 26 year-old who has yet to really make his mark on the first-class game, to surpass the achievements of Richards, Hayden, Gilchrist, Lloyd and Sehwag and score the fastest World Cup hundred ever was something to treasure, as were the scenes involving the small huddles of Irish supporters in the stadium. O'Brien is a bit of a bete noir of Strauss, whose wicket was claimed by the Irishmen with his very first ball in an ODI five years ago!
Where does this leave England? After almost coming a cropper against the Netherlands and so nearly beating the tournament favourites India, this latest reverse illustrates the surprising inconsistency affecting a side with excellent individual players and which should be settled and experienced by now. Of course they will still qualify amongst the top four for the knockout stage, barring further embarrassing defeats, and then anything could happen. However, they need to find some rhythm, especially with the ball. Their top order batting has been largely excellent so far, with only Collingwood and Prior yet to shine, but with the exception of Swann, the bowling attack has been miserable.
Maybe they need to abandon the 'sprinkler dance', dye their hair (maybe not Prior) and take up Riverdance and absorb the luck, and skill, of the Irish.
