Tuesday, March 29, 2011

ICC CWC LIVE: 1st SF, SL vs NZ

New Zealand have put the breaks on Sri Lanka's brisk scoring rate after Jesse Ryder snapped a brilliant catch at point to dismiss Upul Tharanga. Click through for LIVE STREAMING!


Dilshan has become the highest run-getter in the tournament so far.
He surpassed England's Jonathan Trott, who was sitting pretty on top with 422 runs.
Chasing a smallish 218 for a spot in the final, openers Tillakratne Dilshan and Tharanga powered the hosts to a flashing start. Tharanga seemed set for a big one as he took the Kiwi bowlers head on, striking some lusty blows to reach 30 off 31 deliveries that was studded with four boundaries and a towering six.
However, against the run of play, New Zealand struck! Tim Southee bowled a short ball outside the off-stump which was too much to overlook for Tharanga. The Lankan flashed hard but Ryder, who was stationed at point, dived to his left despite his girth and took a one-handed beauty. It stunned the roaring crowd.
Dilshan, however, has kept the stadium abuzz with typical attacking play.Alongwith captain Kumara Sangakkara, the pair is showing no signs of let up in their attacking intent. 
New Zealand: 217 all out
Styris (57) shared an important stand of 77 for the fourth wicket with Ross Taylor to raise New Zealand hopes after they won the toss in this day-night match.

But the Kiwis, in their sixth ICC Cricket World Cup semi-final but yet to take the next step, lost momentum at crucial stages - and their last six wickets fell for 25 runs as they were bowled out for only 217 in the 49th over.

On the same strip, England's 229 for six proved emphatically inadequate in Saturday's quarter-final - suggesting Sri Lanka would be strong favourites for another successful chase.

New Zealand's top three each got started, but little more.

Brendon McCullum was bowled by a Rangana Herath arm ball, attempting to repeat the dose after slog-sweeping the same bowler for six in his previous over.

Then Muttiah Muralitharan got one to turn and bounce to have Jesse Ryder caught behind cutting - and Lasith Malinga (three for 55) returned, after just one over with the new ball, to york Martin Guptill with a trademark inswinger.

From 84 for three in the 22nd over, Styris and Taylor therefore needed to sculpt the innings - and they did so with sense and skill.

Styris' first task was to keep out a clutch of devilish Malinga yorkers, and he survived to drive well against both pace and spin.

Even so when Taylor pulled a rare bad ball from Ajantha Mendis straight to deep midwicket in the 40th over, the onus was back on the Kiwis' number five to see them through to a competitive total.

Kane Williamson escaped a run-out scare when a direct hit by Mahela Jayawardene from mid-off would have stranded him on four, and the 20-year-old then provided powerplay impetus in a breezy 22 from only 16 balls.

But Styris needed to hold his nerve again once Williamson walked across his stumps to be lbw to Malinga.

Then after master off-spinner Murali marked his final international delivery in his native country with a big off-break to have Styris lbw on the back foot, the Kiwis capitulated to Mendis (three for 35).

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