Kevin O'Brien stuns England with hundred

Kevin O'Brien stunned England with the fastest hundred in World Cup history as Ireland secured their greatest victory with a monumental three-wicket triumph in Bangalore. O'Brien clubbed a magnificent 113 off 63 deliveries as Ireland earned the highest World Cup run-chase with four balls to spare.

His innings was breathtaking. He entered when Ed Joyce, seemingly Ireland's last chance of making the chase a contest, was stumped off Graeme Swann to leave their run-chase floundering at 106 for 4, which soon became 111 for 5 when Gary Wilson fell lbw. But O'Brien proceeded to tear the England attack apart. He showed power reminiscent of Kieron Pollard but with a calmer head and better technique, bringing up his hundred off 50 balls with a tuck for two into the leg side to beat Matthew Hayden's World Cup record of 66 deliveries. It led to a reveal of his the purple head-do as part of Ireland's charity fundraising campaign.

He showed his intent early when he thumped Swann through the covers second-ball and the tucked into the offspinner's ninth over with two sixes over midwicket which injected life into Ireland's innings. O'Brien was on 35 off 22 balls when Ireland took the batting Powerplay and it was during those five overs that the chance of the impossible became possible as 62 runs surged onto the total.

O'Brien cut loose against all England's bowlers. Michael Yardy went for 16 as did James Anderson whom O'Brien pulled for a huge six to take him to a 30-ball fifty. Anderson's next over went for 17 including another leg-side pull and in between whiles, even the normally reliable Tim Bresnan was dispatched, including the finest shot of O'Brien's innings when he drove a six clean over cover.

Really, though, fielding restrictions meant nothing to O'Brien and he continued on his merry way with another huge blow over midwicket to take him into the 90s. Then the whole of Ireland held their breath as O'Brien's next attempt to clear the rope sent the ball high into the night sky where Andrew Strauss made a lot of ground but then couldn't hold on. Although he wasn't quite there at the end he had written himself a permanent place in Irish folklore.