Jacob Rees-Mogg tried – and failed - to make England's Cricket World Cup win about Brexit
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Jacob Rees-Mogg tried – and failed - to make England's Cricket World Cup win about Brexit

IRISH CRICKET fans were among those to deride Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg after he suggested England’s victory in the World Cup proved “we clearly don’t need Europe to win”.

England triumphed in dramatic fashion over New Zealand claiming victory after the game when to a 'super over' after both sides scored 241 from 50 overs.

Both teams scored 15 over the extra six balls but England won  by virtue of having scored more boundary fours and sixes - 26 to New Zealand's 17.

The victory prompted wild celebrations, with the Brexiteer among those to take to Twitter to congratulate the team.

Unfortunately, it wasn't a message that was all that well received.

Rees-Mogg tweeted: “A d..n close run thing, we clearly don’t need Europe to win… #CricketWorldCupFinal”.

It was a tweet that drew heavy criticism for politicising what was supposed to be a fun sporting occasion and also being painfully wide of the mark.

England’s 15-man squad actually includes five players born outside of the UK.

Jason Roy and Tom Curran are originally from South Africa. Ben Stokes was born in New Zealand. Jofra Archer was born in Barbados.

Most notably, for the Irish Post, captain Eoin Morgan was born in Dublin.

Add to that the fact that Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid are are the grandchildren of Pakistani immigrants from the Mirpuri community and Rees-Mogg’s comments couldn’t have been more ill-informed.

Thankfully, the Twitterverse was on hand to set the Conservative MP straight.

One highlighted the incredible role immigrants played in the success:

Another reminded Rees-Mogg of the role the EU played in the triumph too:

Some used the misguided tweet to celebrate the inclusivity of the success:

Some fellow politicians even chipped in - including a fellow Conservative:

Ireland's politicians weren't about the let Rees-Mogg's tweet slide either:

Under English and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) regulations, players must must be a British citizen, have been born in England or Wales, or have lived in either country for three years to qualify.

ECB regulations  were changed last year, to reduce the eligibility criteria from seven years in a move that allowed Archer, England’s bowler in the decisivie super over, the chance to play.