Top Rankin performance

12 April 2012

Giant Derbyshire fast bowler Boyd Rankin upset England's top order in the World Cup Super Eight contest at Providence Stadium in Guyana.

Rankin, the biggest man taking part in the World Cup at 6ft 8in, struck twice in the first half-a-dozen overs after England won the toss.

It meant England were 66 for two after a dozen overs against the minnows, who reached the second-round stage by virtue of their shock victory over Pakistan earlier this month.

The 22-year-old Rankin made an immediate impact when he sent back former Ireland international Ed Joyce with his first ball.

Joyce left a delivery which nipped back just enough to knock over off-stump.

England captain Michael Vaughan's miserable form since returning from a long-term knee injury continued - he has only 121 runs in seven one-day internationals - as he perished to Rankin.

A delivery of decent bounce fractionally outside off-stump drew Vaughan forward and an edge carried through to wicketkeeper Niall O'Brien, one of only three full-time professionals in the Irish ranks.

Ireland were inches away from claiming a third wicket during a nervy start for England when Ian Bell, on nine, jabbed down on a ball from Langford-Smith which looped over the bails to safety.

Kevin Pietersen showed his class with two authoritative boundaries in consecutive overs, clouting a pull through midwicket off Rankin and following up with his signature shovel through the same area off Langford-Smith.

Three more fours, crashed through the off-side in Ireland captain Trent Johnston's opening over, took him to 30 not out.

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