Irish Lightning

TM witnesses history

ICYMI, they’ve only gone and done it again: Ireland have carried off their T20 series against world champions India 2-0, winning the second match by a run. Any other day, this headline would rock cricket’s world; as it is, Ben Stokes making it all about himself has exhausted much of the surrounding oxygen. But please enjoy this second fantastic despatch for Et Al from our man Tom McCluskey of At Long Off. GH

There is a common misconception that lightning never strikes twice in the same place, when in fact the opposite is true. Lightning follows the path of least resistance. Towering structures are natural targets and can be struck multiple times per year.

There is no more towering structure in T20I cricket than the current Indian team: world champions, global superstars, adored by an entire nation. Whenever they appear on the international calendar there is an opposition wanting to strike. Ireland had two goes at it this weekend, and they were able to strike twice, capping off the most extraordinary weekend in their history.

This can’t be happening

It is difficult to describe to the average Irish person on the street what this weekend means without putting it into a context they would understand. For that, one must speak a language they know: football. An easy analogy is to use the current FIFA World Cup. It is like Cape Verde beating France 3-0 in the group stage, then drawing them again in the knockouts and rolling them 1-0. It is simply unfathomable.

The result today, by a mere one run, flattered India. A final-over implosion from part-time tweaker Harry Tector included two wides, a no-ball, and a wicket as India took 18 runs and nearly pinched it. But until then, Ireland were in complete control and were deserved winners.

Harry made it exciting with bat…. and ball

The win in game one was a strange one. India were in the driver’s seat during both powerplays. It took Ireland’s ability to survive, then wrestle back momentum in each innings. It ebbed and flowed. Today was different. There wasn’t a lot of time where you felt Ireland weren’t in the strongest position.

The box seat can do strange things to an underdog. When you’re used to being the rank outsider you can settle into the mentality that you might be able to steal victory if the other team is slightly off. When you take control of a contest and are expected to win, as the Irish were when they had India 5/74 in the 12th over, a lot can happen in that one square foot of real estate above the shoulders. Doubt. Imposter syndrome. Panic. This is where bowlers lose their line. Misfields, overthrows, and dropped catches can leak in. We saw a few in the crucial back end of the chase, but Lorcan Tucker’s men were able to overcome the imperfections in their game and stand tall to make it a moment not only for Ireland, but for any country developing on an international level.

Waiting for Vaibhav