Verdict

The Irish have been a refreshing reminder of better days

Few have proved so adept at sticking to the basics as Stephen Fleming's New Zealanders

Not even the spirited words of Brian Lara will provide much cause for belief

Australia's intense competitors screeched through to their fifth resounding win of the tournament

For Ireland, the Cinderella story continues despite this defeat, while England will once again look back ruefully at their failure to demolish opposition supposedly there for the taking

This could well have been the match in which West Indies pulled the plug on their own party

It's impossible to overstate the importance of this win. With Australia looking increasingly likely to run away with first place, there's likely to be a traffic jam for the remaining three places.

By the exultant dressing room, from a contingent of red-and-green supporters, the chant in Bengali grew louder and louder: "Is there any team but Bangladesh?"

This was the match that could help salve the wounds of the past week

Hungry and energetic, Sri Lanka out-fought an Indian team packed with stars but lacking a single enforcer

The feel-good bubble had to burst sometime

Bangladesh were treaded on early and then ruthlessly trampled upon by a Sri Lanka team looking serious title contenders after their second outing.

The finishing touches from Brian Lara gave the result a misleadingly emphatic touch

India help their cause of qualifying for Super Eights with convincing all-round show against Bermuda

There are days when cricket simply doesn't begin to matter. Today in St Kitts, the world went by as if in a trance

For a few agonising moments, it appeared as though a St Patrick's Day that had promised so much might end up delivering nothing but heartbreak

India made Bangladesh work for their win. But it was the erstwhile minnows, Bangladesh, who fought the good fight

The arguments against the minnows have raged all week and are about to get louder

It may be a horrible cliché, but you just can't look past the luck of the Irish