This day in Cricket History

BORN

1867: Thomas Routledge, batted in four Tests for SA from 1892-96
1901: Wilf Barber, scored 83 runs in 2 Tests, England vs South Africa in 1935
1914: CS Nayudu, brother of CK, 11 Tests as leggie, 2 wkts @ 179.5
1926: Doug Insole, England batsman of the fifties, nine Tests
1927: Jim de Courcy, in Newcastle. Australian batsman in 1953
1944: Irvine Shillingford, cousin of Grayson, 4 Tests for West Indies, one century
1958: Malcolm Marshall, tireless West Indies fast bowler from 1978-91
1960: Peter Faulkner, Tasmanian all-rounder, Aus rebel team to SA from 1985-87
1963: Phil Simmons, West Indian batsman from 1987-99 World Cups

MILESTONES

1971: Gavaskar makes 220 in second innings vs West Indies
1992: Start of South Africa’s first Test since 1970 (vs WI Bridgetown)
1994: Brian Lara scores 375 for West Indies vs England to beat Sobers’ record

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Ireland take on the tournament’s mystery men, Sri Lanka

Ireland’s incredible World Cup journey comes to a conclusion in Grenada, when they take on the tournament’s mystery men, Sri Lanka, whose controversial selection policy resulted in a thumping defeat in their last match against Australia. But for the Irish, victory or defeat is immaterial. They have already beaten Pakistan and Bangladesh, and tied with Zimbabwe, in a six-week campaign that has exceeded their wildest expectations. They’ll be flying home with their heads held high regardless of the result.

"We’ll just go out there as we’ve said all tournament and try to play the best game we can," said Ireland’s captain, Trent Johnston, who believed that his team’s 74-run victory over Bangladesh on Sunday was the highlight of their campaign. "If we can do exactly the same as we did against Bangladesh we’ll be delighted. I think that’s the best one-day performance we’ve put together, in all three disciplines."

"There have been a lot of high points – the way we fought back against Zimbabwe to get us going, and then obviously Pakistan was huge on St Patrick’s Day. But we’ve been strong in two of the three areas right throughout the tournament but not put all three together until Bangladesh. That’s our goal, and if we can reproduce that we are going to be competitive."

Ireland have one final target in their sights, and thanks to that win over Bangladesh it is a very realistic proposition. "We didn’t turn up here to come eighth," said Johnston. His team is currently perched in seventh place on the Super Eights table, equal on points with Bangladesh but fractionally ahead on net run-rate. A narrow defeat coupled with a heavier loss by the Bangladeshis in their final match against West Indies later this week, and that aim could well be achieved.

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