Tony Becca WHEN THE World Cup began on Tuesday March 13, there could hardly have been a man who would have placed a bet on Bangladesh reaching the second round of the tournament much more one who was willing to place a cent on Ireland doing so.
As far as everyone was concerned, the top eight teams in world cricket, Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, India, England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and the West Indies would be the ones contesting the Super Eights with the others, Kenya, Bermuda, Canada, the Netherlands, Scotland, Ireland and even Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, a Test-playing country, going home after making up numbers.
That, however, was not to be, and while Pakistan and India are home and hiding, Bangladesh, who sent India home, and Ireland, who knocked out Pakistan, are in still in the Caribbean enjoying themselves - and especially so, the men from Ireland.
While both teams, and particularly so Ireland, must still be in seventh heaven and probably are still dreaming of finding another Goliath or two, not many give them a chance of pulling off even one more upset, one more surprise, or one more shocker.
Already done enough
Whether they do or not, however, they have already done enough for a place in history. Just as how cricket fans around the world still talk about Kenya's eclipse of the West Indies in Pune during the 1996 tournament, just as how people still remember that day in 1999 when Bangladesh embarrassed Pakistan at Northampton, so will they, years from now, remember and talk about the day at Sabina Park when Ireland ambushed Pakistan and the day at Queen's Park Oval when Bangladesh, the poor relations of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, knocked them dizzy and ushered them out of the tournament.
For me, however, the memories of Bangladesh and Ireland and even Zimbabwe for at least one match, will be more than what they did to India and to Pakistan.
From 2003, my memory still is Canada's opening batsmen John Davidson driving, cutting, hooking and just simply hitting the hell out of Mervyn Dillon, Pedro Collins, Vasbert Drakes and company in Centurion Park as he flayed the West Indies attack in a record-breaking performance.
On that day, the unknown Davidson from unheralded Canada blasted eight fours and six sixes while racing to 50 off 30 deliveries with six fours and three sixes, to 100 off 67 deliveries with seven fours and sixes, and finally to 111 off 76 deliveries before he departed the scene at 156 for three after 22.1 overs to a standing, almost unending ovation.
Not so much ...
For me, my memory of 2007 will be, certainly up until now, not so much the West Indies bowling and fielding against Pakistan in the curtainraiser, not so much Herschelle Gibbs' six sixes off Daan van Bunge, not so much, for obvious reasons, India's record 413 for five against Bermuda, not so much Matthew Hayden's century off a record 66 deliveries against South Africa, not so much Shivnarine Chanderpaul's 102 not out versus Ireland, not Hayden's 158 against the West Indies on Tuesday, and probably not even Lasith Malinga's fantastic feat of four wickets in four deliveries which almost snatched an unbelievable victory for Sri Lanka over South Africa, also on Wednesday.
My memories, so far, for 2007 are the brilliance of Bangladesh against India, the come-back of Ireland to tie the match against Zimbabwe, the fielding of the teams in the Zimbabwe/Ireland match, the fielding and the catching of Ireland against Pakistan, and especially the catch by captain Trent Johnston turning at mid-on, running towards the boundary, and diving forward to dismiss Kamran Akmal off Boyd Rankin.
Yes, neither Ireland nor Bangladesh were expected to be still around, and chances are, they are going to be clobbered by the big guns. The fact of the matter, however, is that while neither Pakistan nor India played even one good match - certainly not against a good team, they both played at least one good match.
Bangladesh certainly out-played India, Ireland definitely left their mark in the field, and they both left one or two lasting memories.
