Sri Lanka Lead New Zealand 5-3 in the World Cups, Part-1
The stage is set for the first semi-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup, 2011 between the host Sri Lanka and the underdogs of the tournament New Zealand at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on 29th March.
The Lankan Lions were among the favourites to reach the knock-out stages, while the Black Caps entry into the semis has been shocking for most.
Both teams were placed in group ‘A’ and have reached the semi-final stage by good performances in the pool matches. Sri Lanka secured second place in the group by achieving nine points: they won four matches, lost a match against Pakistan and one with Australia
ended without a result and the points were shared between the two teams, they had a net run rate of +2.582.
New Zealand were at the bottom of group ’A’ with eight points: they won four matches, lost two against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 in their group match and emerged as a strong
unit.
The Kiwis’ crushed the strong South African outfit by 49 runs in the third Quarter-final of the mega event on 25th http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747, surprised the cricketing world.
The last time the New Zealand side reached the semi-final of the World Cup was in 1975, when they were beaten by the eventual champions http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 by five wickets on 18th June, 1975.
The Lankan Lions humiliated the fatigued English cricket Team by 10 wickets at Colombo in the fourth Quarter-final. The Sri Lankan side lifted the 1996 World Cup beating Australia by seven wickets on 17th March, 1996 at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore,
Pakistan.
Both teams have faced each other eight times in the mega tournament since its inception in 1975, Sri Lanka has won on five of those occasions.
Here’s a brief look at the eight matches played between the two countries in the World Cups so far.
First match
The match was played at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, England on 9th June, 1979. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 was bowled out at 189 runs in 56.5 overs, Anura Tennekoon was the highest scorer with 59 runs and Roy Dias scored 25 runs.
Brian McKechnie and Warren Stott held three wickets each as three bowlers claimed a wicket each.
The Black Caps hammered the Sri Lankan attack by scoring 190 runs for the loss of just one wicket in 47.4 overs, Glenn Turner and Geoff Howarth remained unbeaten on 83 and 63 respectively.
Ajit de Silva took the only wicket.
New Zealand won the match comprehensively by nine wickets.
Second match
The Sri Lankans used to be a weaker side in the seventies and started gearing up in the eighties. The match was played at Phoenix County Ground, Bristol on 13th June, 1983. The entire Sri Lankan team went back to the pavilion by the 56th
over, scoring 206 runs, Ranjan Madugalle top scored with 60 runs, while Duleep Mendis scored 43 runs.
Richard Hadlee crushed the Sri Lankan batting by grabbing five wickets as Ewen Chatfield and Jeremy Coney shared two wickets each.
New Zealand achieved the target in 39.2 overs by scoring 209 runs for the loss of five wickets, Howarth top scored with 76 runs as Turner scored 50 runs.
Ashantha de Mel took two wickets as three bowlers claimed a wicket each.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 won the match by five wickets.
Third match
The match was played at Derby on 18th June, 1983 where New Zealand was bowled out for 181 runs in 58.2 overs, Martin Snedden was the highest run scorer with 40 runs followed by Bruce Edgar who made 27 runs.
Ashantha ripped through the Kiwis’ batting by pocketing five wickets as Rumesh Ratnayake and Somachandra De Silva claimed two wickets each.
Sri Lanka scored 184 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 52.5overs; Dias posted 64 runs as Brendon Kuruppu came out with 62 runs.
Snedden took two wickets as four bowlers had a wicket each.
Sri Lanka won the match by three wickets.
To be continued in Part-2
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