Sri Lanka vs. New Zealand: second innings 20 to 40-overs Report – ICC World Cup 2011
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758’s batting pair of Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan were steadily building a platform for the side in their chase of the 218 run target and seemed to have tamed the New Zealand bowling attack.
The Kiwis knew that restricting the Sri Lankan run rate was not enough and they needed to expose the lower order if they wished to stand any chance of reaching their first World Cup final.
Sangakkara picked up where he left off when he smashed Andy McKay for a four on the first ball of the 21st over further adding to New Zealand’s already unbearable tensions.
The Kiwis grew increasingly desperate and introduced Jacob Oram into the bowling attack in the 24th over. Much to Oram’s displeasure the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 bowler was given a rude welcome by Dilshan who hit him for a six and a four in an over costing
11 runs.
Boundaries became a regular part of every over, as Tim Southee and Daniel Vettori tried with increasing desperation to try and curb the devastating batting display by Sangakkara and Dilshan.
New Zealand finally breathed a sigh of relief in the 33rd over when Southee’s perseverance paid off. Jesse Ryder was the fielder as he took a simple catch, as compared to his first, to send danger man Dilshan back to the pavilion. The Sri Lankan
batsman however had done his job with a handy knock of 73 runs.
The Kiwis hoped to build on the crucial wicket of Dilshan, but knew that as long as Sangakkara was on the crease the match was still far from over. They did however at least look like they were going to fight till the end when Mahela Jayawardene was trapped
leg before wicket in the next over by Vettori. The Sri Lankan veteran called for a review, but the original decision stood and he departed from the crease with just one run to his name.
The balance of the match swung more in New Zealand’s favour when they had Sangakkara out in the 37th over. McKay’s short pitched ball was hit straight to Scott Styris who made no mistake with his catch and the Sri Lankan captain’s innings came
to end after he scored his half century.
Sri Lanka was still in a strong position after the 40th over despite having lost their crucial top order batsmen at 174 runs for the loss of only four wickets. The side needed 44 runs from 60 balls to secure their place in their second consecutive
World Cup final. New Zealand on the other seemed to be on the verge of losing their sixth World Cup semi-final.
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