Ireland's cricketers are on their way to London today as they look to revive their Super Eight campaign at the World Twenty-Twenty tournament.

WHAT a way to treat a hero. Two days after helping Ireland to qualify for the 2011 World Cup, Eoin Morgan was yesterday dropped and assigned to 12th man duties as his team-mates lost to Kenya by six wickets in their final Super Eight match.

IRELAND take a step into the unknown today with a first match against Afghanistan as the Super Eight phase of the 2011 World Cup qualifiers commences in Gauteng.

WILLIAM PORTERFIELD led Ireland to a fifth victory in the 2011 World Cup qualifiers yesterday, the seven-wicket winning margin against Namibia putting them at odds-on to make a clean sweep.

Ireland captain William Porterfield is already dreaming of another World Cup fairytale as his side begin their bid to qualify for the 2011 tournament.

DUP leader Ian Paisley and Sinn Féin chief negotiator Martin McGuinness strengthened their ministerial co-operation today by sending a joint letter of congratulations to Ireland’s World Cup cricket team.

IRELAND are determined to shake off the effects of an untimely virus to give coach Adrian Birrell the “send-off” he deserves for overseeing their surprisingly successful World Cup campaign.

IRELAND cricket coach Adrian Birrell is proud of his legacy after guiding his team from associate also-rans to a fully-fledged one-day team.

AUSTRALIA ruthlessly dispatched Ireland yesterday to go clear at the top of the Super Eight standings.

Ireland captain Trent Johnston admitted his inexperienced side would have to learn their lessons quickly if they were to make any further impact at the current World Cup, following yesterday's defeat by in-form New Zealand.

Ireland will be seeking their first win in the Super Eight stage of the World Cup when they face in-form New Zealand this afternoon.

PAKISTAN assistant coach Mushtaq Ahmed has become the first member of the World Cup party to appear before a performance evaluation committee.

Ireland captain Trent Johnston said his team fell 20 to 30 runs short of their target in their Super Eight defeat to South Africa.

South Africa coach Micky Arthur insists his side will not under-estimate Ireland after suffering a scare against the World Cup minnows in a warm-up match last month.

IRELAND coach Adrian Birrell believes his side have not been given the credit they deserve for their World Cup exploits and is plotting a Super-Eight upset against South Africa today.

Long-serving Kyle McCallan has been angered by suggestions Ireland’s World Cup success is down to imported players.

IRELAND captain Trent Johnston reckons being dubbed part-time pushovers will give his team extra motivation to inflict another World Cup shock — this time on England (2.30pm, Sky Sports 1).

Vice-captain Kyle McCallan has revealed that Ireland’s cricketers are refusing to accept that reaching the Super Eight stage is the height of their potential achievements at the World Cup.

Matthew Hayden’s second World Cup hundred in four days helped to put Australia in a dominant position in their rain-interrupted Super Eight match against West Indies.

Matthew Hayden’s second successive World Cup hundred powered Australia to 322 for six against West Indies, in the first Super Eight match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Andrew Flintoff’s participation in England’s opening training session in Guyana was restricted by a stomach bug today.

Bangladesh beat Bermuda by seven wickets in a rain-affected match in World Cup Group B to claim the last place in the Super Eight.

Ireland can expect a West Indies blitz when the two sides meet at Sabina Park later today.

Ireland coach Adrian Birrell has warned West Indies that his side will be looking to repeat their stunning success over Pakistan when the sides meet at Sabina Park on Friday in the final Group D match.

Australia have been drawn alongside England and Zimbabwe in Group B of this year’s inaugural Twenty20 World Cup which takes place in South Africa at the end of September.

EOIN MORGAN knew the Cricket World Cup was a big deal but he never realised how big until a platoon of guards armed with sub-machine guns trooped into the team hotel.