[Raynman]

I was so hoping today I was going to go work late after watching Mash getting a crack at his KKR captain B. McCullum. Ah, but instead a short handed Kiwi side crushed the Irish today with both bat and ball. No Vettori, no Ryder, no Taylor.

Shows that the Irish came fully prepared with their eyes purely set on Bangladesh. Kudos to them as they accomplished their mission with very little resistance.

While we were dreaming big about the semis and showing calculations how we were more likely to make the SF over the Indians and mocking those who wanted to remind that the Irish beat us in 2007 and shouldn't be taken lightly, the Irish came to the WC prepared.

Had they done anything of note today it would be easier to swallow and say they are now a better team than us. But the ease with which the Kiwis slayed them it disheartens me to know that we repeatedly don't show up for matches when it counts, hoping to catch the odd wins by catching our opponents by surprise.

So far, the ONLY win that we have under our belt of note (where the opponent was under pressure to win) in a significant match is the IND game in 2007. Even that has an asterisk, because all India had to do to overcome that defeat was to defeat SL in their game and then their would be no 2nd round and no win against SA and no loss to Ireland.

Ah...if only.....