world cup five fer: day 35

Ireland can take great credit from their performance.

By Nick Miller and Caitlin Fitzgerald

1 - The Irish Challenge

When Ireland made their debut in the World Cup, everyone thought they would follow other World Cup minnows like Bermuda and Scotland in just making up the numbers.

Almost six weeks later, the Irish have upset all the odds and two Test playing nations. Forget all the talk about the luck of the Irish, their solid performance has been down to brilliant fielding and a never say die attitude.

Their batting leaves a lot to be desired; nevertheless the World Cup in the West Indies has put Ireland on the map.

Their challenge might have fizzled out as the men were separated from the boys against Sri Lanka, but Ireland can look back with fond memories.

2 - Bray and Porterfield

Ireland's openers can take some credit from their World Cup performance.

Jeremy Bray and William Porterfield got them off to a solid start against, reaching 28 before the first wicket fell - a big improvement on the Australia game, when they were both blown away for just a single apiece.

Perhaps the most impressive thing is that they managed to frustrate Sri Lanka's frontline bowlers. They made sure that Chaminda Vaas, one of the most impressive seamers in the World Cup so far, was taken off after just three overs.

3 - Farveez Maharoof

Maharoof was the catalyst for Ireland's capitulation with his crazy first over.

Having been dispatched to the boundary from both of his opening two balls, he immediately switched to bowling round the wicket inducing a leading edge from Bray with a slower ball.

He took two more wickets in that opening over, but it was his run out of Irish skipper Trent Johnston that produced the most remarkable piece of cricket - or perhaps luck - of the day.

Johnston patted a ball back to Maharoof, and the bowler did well to gather and flick back towards the stumps. However, his throw was heading a good three feet wide of the stumps before it cannoned off Johnston's foot and into the stumps. Probably the unluckiest dismissal you are likely to see in some time.

4 - Sri Lankan ruthlessness

It could be argued that Sri Lanka had a point to prove against Ireland.

After 'resting' Vaas and Murali against Australia, they may have passed up a chance to gain psychological points in what could have been a rehersal for the final.

However, by dispatching Ireland in even quicker time than Ricky Ponting's men did, they have reminded their main rivals that they mean business too.

5 - Upul Tharanga

One concern for Sri Lanka may be Tharanga.

Sanath Jayasuria's opening partner has been one of the big disappointments of the World Cup thus far.

After brilliant centuries in ODIs at Lords and Headingley last summer, he was tipped by many to take over Jayasuria's mantle as the flamboyant run scorer at the top of the Sri Lankan order.

However, in the Caribbean he has managed only laboured 60s against India and England, and today looked very uncertain against Boyd Rankin, before dollying a tame catch to point at the end of the first over.