INDIA: CRICKET - Ireland's star batsman Kevin O'Brien looks forward to taking on India

Record ID: 1372344

  • Title: INDIA: CRICKET - Ireland's star batsman Kevin O'Brien looks forward to taking on India
  • Date: 5th March 2011
  • Summary: BANGALORE, KARNATAKA, INDIA (MARCH 04, 2011) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC) BATSMAN GAUTAM GAMBHIR PLAYING SOCCER ALLROUNDER YUVRAJ SINGH BATSMAN SACHIN TENDULKAR BOWLER ZAHEER KHAN RUNNING TO FETCH A BALL TENDULKAR WALKING DURING SOCCER PRACTICE VARIOUS OF SOCCER GAME INDIAN TEAM POSING FOR PICTURES VARIOUS OF VOLLEYBALL GAME BATSMAN VIRENDER SEHWAG BATSMAN SURESH RAINA IRISH BATSMAN KEVIN O' BRIEN AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) IRELAND BATSMAN KEVIN O' BRIEN, SAYING: "It is going to be a difficult game on Sunday but that is one I am really looking forward to. It is not every day that you play in front of 50000 screaming fans it is something that the whole team and the support staff are going to cherish." PHOTOGRAPHER (SOUNDBITE) (English) IRELAND BATSMAN KEVIN O' BRIEN, SAYING: "We have a team meeting later on, so we will obviously look at videos and areas where we can bowl to them. It is obviously difficult to bowl to them as they are extremely in good form. On flat wickets, you got to be nailing your areas at back of the length, hitting the stumps. We will assess that later on. I am sure Simmo (Phil Simmons- team coach) will come up with some plans for Sunday." LEAVING THE VENUE
  • Embargoed: 19th March 2011 20:59
  • Keywords:
  • Location: India, India
  • Country: India
  • Topics: Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVADW9X8IAL96AK33L5FHW0P91DO
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: India are preparing to face World Cup giant killers Ireland and the tournament hosts are hoping to avoid the kind of sensational defeat that befell England on Wednesday (March 2).
    Ireland chased down and beat England's secure looking total of 328, thanks to a sensational batting performance from pink-haired batsman Kevin O'Brien.
    O'Brien, 27 on Friday, scored 113 off just 63 balls, recording the fastest century in World Cup history on the way to help take the Irish to 329-7 and a tournament record run chase.
    India started the tournament with an 87 run victory over co-hosts Bangladesh and were then held by England in a dramatic tied match in Bangalore.
    The pressure of taking on Ireland did not show at a relaxed training session at the stadium on Friday (March 4) as the players kicked around a soccer ball and then had a game of volleyball.
    O'Brien's century was registered in just 50 balls -- 16 fewer than the previous record held by Australia's Matthew Hayden. He bludgeoned Ireland to victory with six sixes after they looked beaten at 111 for five at one stage.
    As Ireland try to get over the excitement of beating England, O'Brien forecast another difficult game, although he is relishing the challenge.
    "It is going to be a difficult game on Sunday but that is one I am really looking forward to. It is not every day that you play in front of 50,000 screaming fans it is something that the whole team and the support staff are going to cherish," he told a news conference.
    Facing India's talented batting lineup on the flatter Subcontinent wickets means Ireland's coach Phil Simmonds has some planning to do but O'Brien was confident he could come up with a line of attack.
    "We will obviously look at videos and areas where we can bowl to them. It is obviously difficult to bowl to them as they are extremely in good form," he said.
    "On flat wickets, you got to be nailing your areas at back of the length, hitting the stumps. We will assess that later on. I am sure Simmo will come up with some plans for Sunday."
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