The moment where the best result in Ireland's history was secured by John Mooney © Getty Images

The best 24 hours of my life – March 6 2011. A date that will be etched in Irish sporting folklore. Maggie Thatcher, Winston Churchill, your boys took a hell of a beating!

It might have been portrayed as one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history, but this team were always confident that we could compete against the world’s best, and if things went our way, would prevail.

We bowled well in the latter part of the England innings to restrict them to 327, when they seemed destined for a score in excess of 350.

I was happy with my only personal performance dismissing Jonathan Trott, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood and Tim Bresnan to record my best figures in ODI cricket.

When it came to our turn to bat, we got off to the worst possible start, losing our skipper to the first ball of the innings. Despite cameo knocks from Paul Stirling, Ed Joyce and Niall O’Brien we were staring down the barrel at 111 for 5 and the odds on the team winning were a reported 400 to 1.
Enter the pink haired Kevin O’Brien – we had participated in a ‘Shave or dye’ campaign for the Irish Cancer Society the day before – and in the next 90 minutes he entered the record books with the best one-day innings I’ve ever witnessed.

He smashed the quickest ever century in World Cup history (50 balls) as the England bowlers were dispatched to all parts. One of his sixes off Jimmy Anderson went a mammoth 102 metres, which at the time of writing is the biggest in the competition.

The role of Alex Cusack, ‘The Quiet Man’ shouldn’t be under-estimated in the win. While Kevin took all the plaudits, Alex’s contribution in the partnership was equally as important. He hit boundaries at exactly the right time, and the over rate was never allowed to get out of hand.
When I came to the crease I knew we were always going to win – no other thought was in my mind. We had missed a golden opportunity against Bangladesh – there was no way we were going to mess this one up.

The feeling when I hit the winning boundary off Jimmy Anderson was just one of sheer joy and emotion. I knew just what it meant to all our supporters who had laid out a lot of money to support us here, and also to everyone back home in Ireland.

The country is going through a tough period economically at present, and the win gave everyone a much needed boost. The reaction to a win over the ‘Old enemy’ has been fantastic and we dominated the media for days after – not something we’ve been used to over the years.
Already there are reports of clubs getting calls from school kids wanting to take up the game, and this is exactly the type of legacy that we’re looking for. We’ve raised the numbers playing the game from 15,000 to 25,000 and we’ve ambitions to get that up to 50,000 in the next few years – the result against England will help us in that ambition.

A quick word about the post match celebrations – we partied at the ground and soaked up the atmosphere until after midnight, before going back to the hotel where they had laid on a private room for us. We partied until 3am before going back to the skipper’s room for a few more celebrations.

Just a quick word of praise and thanks to Andrew Strauss, Paul Collingwood and Matt Prior who attended the post match celebrations. I don’t know if I had been as gracious in similar circumstances.

Bangladesh fans packed the Shere Bangla and the area around it during the game against Ireland © Getty Images

The opening game against Bangladesh last Friday was my 100th for Ireland in all competitions, and I should really have been celebrating a win. I suppose if we don’t qualify for the quarter-finals it will never get out of our system. That said, it’s gone and now my complete focus is on the England game this afternoon. It’s disappointing, but it’s a game of cricket, and unless it’s a tie like the other day, someone has to lose.

Although I didn’t have a happy time with the bat, I was pleased with the way I bowled. It wasn’t easy coming on after they had got off to such a quick start, but I had a game plan to bowl tight on leg and middle stump to deny them room, and it worked.

It was a great bonus to get the wicket of Imrul Kayes thanks to a brilliant piece of work from Nobby (Niall O’Brien) standing up. He’s as good as anyone in the business, and I think he showed just what he’s capable of. If you’re a batsman and you make the slightest mistake, then you’re gone, as we’ve all seen over the last coupe of years with him.

I can’t leave the Bangladesh game without a word about their supporters and the atmosphere they created, not just at the game, but also in the surrounding environs of the stadium. It’s hard to convey the passion they have for cricket to fans back in Ireland. I suppose a good analogy would be the reception that the Ireland soccer team received in Dublin in the hey days of the European Championships in 1988 or the World Cup in 1990.

That’s the sort of adulation that Bangladesh supporters have for their cricketers, and they were hanging off buildings and telegraph poles in their thousands to pay tribute to their players. They are so fanatical about their cricket and they definitely got Bangladesh over the finish line in what was a vital game for both of us.

We’ve moved onto Bangalore and are staying in the ITC Royal Gardenia hotel with the England and Indian teams. I have to say that it’s a decent little spot! We’ve travelled around as a cricket team a fair bit over the past few years, so when you get to a hotel like this, you really appreciate it. We’ve stayed in some less than salubrious establishments in that time, but this one certainly doesn’t fit into that category.

A lot of the players’ friends and families have arrived here, and my fiancée Helena and my mother Frances arrive this weekend for the India game. It’ll be great to have them in town and it’s a great morale boost to the squad after being away for nearly a month now. We’re proud of ourselves as international cricketers, but that’s nothing compared to the pride our families feel for us. It makes you doubly determined to do well, knowing how much it means to them and friends back home.

We take on England today in what is a huge game for us. They have been in good form, with the bat especially. The opening pairing of Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen is as good as any in the competition, while Ian Bell has looked in supreme touch. We’ve given them a few close run games in recent times, but haven’t beaten them yet. We’ve a lot of respect for England, but no fear of them.

It’s a help having so many county players in our ranks, and they have been great assets in preparing for the game. We’re going to be positive, and take the game to England, and hopefully the next time we catch up, I’ll be talking about a famous Ireland win.

John Mooney: "At our training sessions there have been hundreds of fans crushing each other just in the hope of getting a glimpse of us - it’s just unbelievable"

We’ve been in Dhaka for five days now and one can’t help but be totally overwhelmed by the passion of the fans in this cricket-mad country. I’m a Liverpool fan myself, and I remember standing in the Old Kop at Anfield during the last game before it was demolished. Ian Rush scored that day against Coventry and the surge of fans and the adrenalin of that charged atmosphere is something that will live for me forever. Those are the type of supporters that Bangladesh have.

At our training sessions there have been hundreds of fans crushing each other just in the hope of getting a glimpse of us. That shows you the type of standing cricket has here – we were just training, doing nothing out of the ordinary, and they turn up in droves – it’s just unbelievable.

On Saturday morning, eight of the squad went to visit Plan Bangladesh which is a charity which helps disadvantaged children in the developing world. We’re very aware of our responsibility as international cricketers to do as much as we can, and we’re getting involved with several charities while on tour. They include the Irish Cancer Society, Plan Ireland, The Hope Foundation, as well as the ICC Projects Room to Read and Thinkwise.

For me personally it was an amazing experience visiting the child shelter. I have to put my hand up admit I’m the first one to grumble when I have to make an early start to catch a flight. When you visit a project like this, it puts it all in perspective. The magnificent work that Plan Ireland and Bangladesh are doing just makes you fell so humble, and appreciate just how fortunate we are as cricketers, being pampered wherever we go.

I’m know it’s a bit of a cliché, but just to see the smiles on the kids faces really affected everyone, and you would have to be made of stone not to have been emotional when you see their plight. The experience will live with me forever – it was a great initiative for Cricket Ireland to get involved with, and it’s really inspiring to see the difference that Plan Bangladesh make to their lives.

We’ve been training hard here, with everyone raring to go ahead of the crucial clash with Bangladesh on Friday. It’s a game everyone wants to play in and any niggling injuries aren’t holding the guys back as they attempt to secure a berth in Phil Simmons starting XI.

The facilities here in Dhaka are first class, with everything we could wish for. We’ve a fantastic support staff behind us, and they’re preparing us as best as they can for the World Cup ahead. That’s been the feature this time for me compared to 2007 – the amount of work that’s gone in with all the training camps, and facilities and resources at our disposal.

It was Pete Johnston’s (our assistant coach) birthday on Sunday so we had a bit of a celebration for him, with a cake and the players singing happy birthday. We’re a really close bunch of players and we try and cheer everyone up. Touring can be a difficult time for everyone, and it’s not easy spending so much time away from family, so it’s important that everyone is in good spirits. We’ve fostered a camaraderie within our ranks that’s second to none as far as I’m concerned. We’re proud to be wearing the green of Ireland, and we’re all in it together as we step onto the field.

On our afternoon off, after training, myself and Gary Wilson took on Ed Joyce and Paul Stirling in a four-ball at a nearby golf course which was truly sensational. I have to admit it was a bit weird playing the first hole with ten security guards with machine guns lined up on the tee – talk about pressure! Although our opposition and young Stirlo in particular started off like a train, they wilted in the conditions, and the old firm of Wilson and yours truly grabbed the honours – 2 up.

Back to cricketing matters and for those of you who mightn’t be too familiar with our team, I thought I’d give you a run down on who to watch out for in the coming weeks.

I’ll start with the bowlers first and Boyd Rankin who made such an impression in 2007. He’s going to be a really key player for us with his extra height and the steepling bounce that he can generate. We’ve seen in the games so far just how openers are taking on attacks first up and using the extra pace on the ball. We’re hoping Boyd can take early wickets and force teams to consolidate. On his day Boyd has the ability to be right up there with any of the top bowlers in world cricket, and he’ll trouble the best of them when he clicks.

He’ll be partnered by Trent Johnston who will bowl tight lines and is one of our most consistent performers. I’d back him to do well in all our games. George Dockrell, the youngest player in the tournament did exceptionally well for us in the Twenty20 games. Nothing seems to faze him and he’s got an experienced head on his young shoulders.

On the batting side of things, I’ve mentioned it before, but Paul Stirling is an unbelievable talent. He’s my favourite player to watch in world cricket when he’s in full flow, and I’d pay good money to watch him at his best. I hope fans all over the world get to see that for themselves during the competition.

Ed Joyce is back in the fold and it’s as if he’s never been away – a seamless transition if you like. He’s a class act and brings a level-headedness and a maturity that will strengthen our side considerably. We bat right down but those two along with William Porterfield and Niall O’Brien will score runs for us.

Till next time when hopefully I’ll be able to bring news of a victory in our first match.

'Talent will only take you so far, and you’ve got to put the hard work in training, and you’ll get your rewards' © Getty Images

As I embark on my second World Cup with Ireland, my abiding memory of the 2007 event was the sheer excitement of the occasion. Back then we were new on the world stage, and parts of the country didn’t even know we played the sport.

We couldn’t have scripted that competition any better from a media perspective as we started with a tied game with Zimbabwe – only the third in the history of the competition. That got people back home hooked, but that was only the appetiser ahead of the St Patrick’s Day game with Pakistan.

We produced one of the great upsets of all time by beating the star studded side in a tense low scoring game in Jamaica, and it’s fair to say that Irish cricket hasn’t looked back since.

The 2007 squad was essentially amateur. I was training to be an electrician, and amongst other occupations we had two teachers, a postman, a painter, and a carpenter. That said there was no shortage of talent in that side, and our results and hard work brought results.

Fast forward four years and we’re predominantly all earning our living from cricket – only Andrew White and Nigel Jones don’t.

While I was on the periphery last time, my game has progressed and I’m targeting a starting place this time around. The full-time contract with Cricket Ireland has helped me focus more and given me self belief. I’ve now played 99 times for Ireland in all competitions, and it’ll be a great honour if I can get to the magical 100 mark in the opening game against Bangladesh.

There’s no doubt that I’ve become more mature and stabilised as a person over the years. Training as an electrician gave me responsibility and discipline and although I enjoyed it, my dream and goal was always to play cricket professionally. As I grew up and matured, I realised the importance of being consistent and putting in the hard yards at training. Talent will only take you so far, and you’ve got to put the hard work in training, and you’ll get your rewards.

Some people develop late into the game, and I suppose at 29 now, I’ve learned a lot along the way. I played club cricket in South Africa when I was younger, and last year spent a season in Australia with Wannaroo.

The two Husseys played there, and their father Ted was an integral figure there. Mitchell Johnson was registered there also, but didn’t play in my season. Brett Mulder who played state cricket for Western Australia in the 90’s set it up for me after he had spent a season coaching at North County in Dublin.

That season Down Under was huge for me, and my game really kicked on. They had a great set-up there, and I worked really hard on all aspects of my game, with special emphasis on my bowling. This Ireland team is full of allrounders, and it’s important in one-day cricket to be able to contribute in all departments.

Our build up for this tournament has been great. We spent a month in Pune funded by our team sponsor RSA, working on batting against spin, which is going to be what we’re facing primarily in these conditions. Cricket Ireland, with help from the Irish Sports Council, invested in the Merlyn spin bowling machine which everyone made use of when we trained at the indoor facility in North County.

Just prior to the competition we’ve been at the ICC Global Cricket Academy in Dubai which is a just unbelievable facility, and we had a really enjoyable and rewarding time there. That brought us on to our warm-up games which were great games of cricket. New Zealand got 311, but we gave them a scare in the run chase before falling short. We then played Zimbabwe, and chased 244 to win in the last over – it was a great feeling to score the winning runs. That win has given everyone a boost and our morale and team spirit is superb – just what you’d expect from any Irish sporting side.

That win over Zimbabwe came without Ed Joyce and our skipper William Porterfield playing, so it shows just how much depth there is to the current squad.

We face Bangladesh in our opening game next week and that’s going to be a massive game for both sides. They have such a huge and passionate following, and there’s sure to be an incredible atmosphere at the game. We’ve got to control our emotions, and although it’ll be electric, we’ve played in front of big crowds before.

We’ve got a good record against Bangladesh in major tournaments. We beat them in 2007 in Barbados, and again at Trent Bridge in the World Twenty20 , so it should be a really tight contest.

The whole competition is just going to be a great experience for us, and our coach Phil Simmons has stressed the need for us to enjoy the major occasion that a World Cup is. I think we’ll get a lot of neutrals behind us as the tournament progresses, and they’ll enjoy the way we play the game. We’re here to win games, and I think our progression as a cricket team will be evident for all to see. I’m sure our supporters will enjoy India and Bangladesh, and I hope with my fiancée Helena and my mother Frances among them, they get plenty to cheer about.

In my next blog, I’ll be giving my thoughts on the current Ireland squad, and who to watch out for.

Till next time, John.