Very proud moment to get the inaugural Test hundred, says Kevin O'Brien

Kevin O'Brien has become his country's first ever Test centurion.

pic credit RTE

It is the historic occasion of Ireland's first ever Test match, against Pakistan but something had added a cherry to the cake. Ireland were struggling, having being asked to follow-on to Pakistan's 310 after being bowled out for a merely 130 in the first innings. The newest Test country in their second passage with the bat, found themselves very close to a defeat at 95-4. With a distance to cover even to make their opponent bat again, this is when Kevin O'Brien happened to the game. 

Kevin O'Brien scored a magnificent 118* yesterday and has ensured that Pakistan will be batting again by giving his country a lead of 139. Kevin has joined the illustrious club of only 11 batsmen, so far, to have scored their country's first ever international Test hundred. 

But, Kevin will forever be most famous for scoring one of the fastest ever world cup hundred. When he scored a 50-ball ton to help Ireland successfully chased down 327 and register a famous win over their arch-rivals England in the 2011 World Cup at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.

When asked which knock is his favourite one for Ireland, so far, yesterday. Kevin said, “For me, Bangalore is definitely No.1, for the sheer moment of where it was and who it was against, in the World Cup. If I I can continue [tomorrow] for another hour and a half, to 170-odd, this could top it,” 

On becoming only the fifth batsman in the history of the game to have scored a hundred in his country's inaugural Test Match, Kevin O'Brien said, “It was a very proud and emotional moment, to get there is a great honour, and hopefully we’ve put ourselves in a good position to go on and win it. There’s no reason why we can’t. We’ve just got to start off well tomorrow,” 

“It was just relief, and emotion. In my first Test as well, it’s a great honour to join a small list of players who have done it,”


 

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 15 May, 2018

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