Has everyone caught their breath after Bangalore's last match? It was an epic tie and the remaining games in the tournament will struggle to match it. Still,
this group looks set to provide most of the intrigue over who will make the quarter-finals because Ireland are good enough to upset one of the big teams.They had a great chance against Bangladesh until the batting failed to chase down 206 but now have England in their sights. While the cricket rivalry between the two countries has yet to reach the level seen in rugby, for Ireland this is a massive contest where they'll be desperate to make a statement and cause a shock. England will need to be on their guard and will want an improvement in the bowling department which, apart from Graeme Swann against Netherlands and the immense Tim Bresnan against India, has been below par. Lifting themselves after the events on Sunday won't be easy. Ireland have come close to claiming their scalp before. In the hangover of the 2009 Ashes, England hung on for a two-run victory in Belfast and at the World Twenty20 last year, Ireland believed they had a good chance of chasing down 120 before the rain came in Guyana.
Ireland are a leading light among the Associates, showing what is possible with a well-structured game and a core of experienced players. A number of mini-battles will be worth watching, including Ed Joyce against the England attack, the Warwickshire duel of Boyd Rankin bowling against Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott, and the vastly talented left-arm spinner George Dockrell.
