World Cup: Sri Lanka survive Kiwis late assault to reach final
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka succeeded in reaching the World Cup final for second time in a row after avoiding late bowling assault by New Zealand here at the R Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday.
Chasing 218, the co-hosts reached the target to beat the Kiwis by five wickets with 13 balls to spare in the first day-night semi-final as veteran off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan said goodbye to his home crowd.
Opener Tillekaratna Dilshan (73) and captain Kumar Sangakkara (54) hit half-cneturies to set a foundation for Sri Lanka’s victory to qualify for the World Cup final for the third time and second in succession.
They had won the final in 1996 at Lahore, Pakistan but lost it in 2007 at Kingston, Jamaica.
Sri Lanka play the winners of Wednesday”s semi-final between India and Pakistan in Mohali.
Muralitharan took his 534th wicket off his last ball on home soil as New Zealand were bowled out for a below-par score of 217 in 48.5 overs.
Muralitharan, who last year retired from Tests after finishing as the highest wicket-taker with 800, now aims to win his second title — after being part of the 1996 Cup winning squad — in Saturday”s final in Mumbai.
Sri Lanka, cruising along at 160-1, lost four wickets in the space of 25 runs to raise fears of an unlikely defeat before Thilan Samaraweera (23 not out) and Angelo Mathews (14 not out) guided them home with an unbroken 35-run stand.
New Zealand, who for the sixth time failed in a World Cup semi-final, seemed to be succumbing like England did during their 10-wicket quarter-final defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka, but they staged a brave rearguard action.
It was 34-year-old Dilshan who was once again in rampaging mood, taking the co-hosts to 40 by the eighth over in the company of Upul Tharanga who fell after scoring a 31-ball 30 with four boundaries and a six.
Dilshan then found an equally aggressive and in-form partner in captain Sangakkara as they added 120 for the second wicket, before Dilshan played straight into the hands of Jesse Ryder off Tim Southee.
Dilshan hit 10 boundaries and a six during his 93-ball knock. He also became the top run-getter of the tournament with 467.
Sri Lanka then lost Mahela Jayawardene (one) and Sangakkara in the space of eight runs and then Chamara Silva (13) before the team held their nerve.
It was Ajantha Mendis (3-35) and Lasith Malinga (3-55), along with Muralitharan (2-42), who kept New Zealand under control after Daniel Vettori won the toss and opted to bat.
Scott Styris, who top scored with 57, added 77 for the fourth wicket with Ross Taylor (36) but the Sri Lankan bowlers never allowed them to run away with a big total, dismissing the Kiwis in 48.5 overs.
Styris and Kane Williamson (22) added 42 in the batting powerplay but New Zealand lost their last seven wickets for just 56 runs.
Sri Lanka once again dismissed hard-hitting Brendon McCullum through a spinner when left-armer Rangana Herath bowled him in the eighth over for 13.
Martin Guptill (39) and Jesse Ryder (19) took the total to 69 before Muralitharan had the big left-hander caught off a quickish delivery.
Soon it became 84-3 when Malinga bowled Guptill with a ferocious yorker after the opener had hit three boundaries off 65 balls.
Australia pacemen restrict New Zealand to just 206
NAGPUR: The Australian pace duo of Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait vindicated captain Ricky Ponting’s decision to field first by skittling trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand for 206 on Friday.
After a sombre start to the day, in which the teams observed a minute’s silence following Tuesday’s devastating earthquake in Christchurch, Johnson (four for 33) and Tait (three for 35)
shared seven wickets among themselves.
Brett Lee and Shane Watson also chipped in with a wicket apiece, while Steve Smith was the only spinner to pick up a wicket.
High Fever Doubted N McCullum Inclusion In First World Cup Match
Big news for Kiwis, N McCullum got high fever and his fever has doubted his inclusion in the world cup first match. He was not feeling well and was admitted in the hospital. He was suffering from high fever and his fever makes him out from the first Kiwis game on Sunday.
On Thursday night he was having high fever and he reports the same to the staff and after that he was taken to the hospital in Chennai. In the hospital it was discovered that he was suffering from high fever so he was admitted in the hospital.
New Zealand is schedule to play the first game on Sunday and so far McCullum is in hospital and likely to discharge on Saturday. He is doing well for Kiwis for last six months and is considered as regular member of playing XI. His bad health will affect New Zealand team.
He has played 16 matches out of last 20 matches of NZ team and also maintained a decent economy rate. He is also handy in the lower batting order and scored two half centuries for Kiwis. In last 16 ODIs New Zealand has lost 14 games. New Zealand will miss spinner in the first game.
Protease beat NZ by 13 runs in Super Eights
BRIDGETOWN: South Africa have beaten Kiwis by 143 runs in Twenty20 match in Super Eights stage of ICC World Cup here late night.
Protease beat NZ by 13 runs in Super Eights
BRIDGETOWN: South Africa have beaten Kiwis by 143 runs in Twenty20 match in Super Eights stage of ICC World Cup here late night.
Australia-New Zealand Test Series Starts Today
Australia- New Zealand Test series will begin Today. Star Aussie batsman Michael Clarke will be seen in action for the first time after his broken engagement to Lara Bingle. He could not play the final three One-day Internationals due to this setback.
Watch Live Cricket
The first match of the two-Test series between the Black Caps and the Kangaroos will be played here at Basin Reserve from Friday. Australia defeated new Zealand in the five-match ODI series.
Eight Test matches have so far been played between the two teams at Basin Reserve Wellington where the Aussies won two and the Kiwis one.
Watch Live Cricket
Australia-New Zealand Test Series Starts Today was first posted on March 19, 2010 at 11:50 am.
Copyright @ TrendPK
New Zealand Clean Sweeps Against Bangladesh
New Zealand won by 3 wickets (with 31 balls remaining).
Guptill, 91
Vettori, 34
New Zealand beat Bangladesh winning the third ODI today in Christchurch.
After winning the toss, New Zealand invited the host team to bat first. Bangladesh has set a target of 242 for the Kiwis. Imrul Kayes made a gutsy century while Shakib Al Hasan gave his best performance of the tour with 36 runs and Muhammad Ashraful 31 scores, but it was still not enough to prevent New Zealand from sweeping the series.
Watch Live Cricket
TJ Southee and DL Vettori each took 3 wickets. Chasing the target, Kiwis made 244 at a loss of 7 wickets in just 45th overs. Martin Guptill played a remarkable innings of 91. The only Test match between the two countries would be held in Hamilton on February 15.
New Zealand Clean Sweeps Against Bangladesh was first posted on February 11, 2010 at 5:19 pm.
New Zealand Vs Bangladesh 3rd ODI Live Cricket
New Zealand Vs. Bangladesh 3rd ODI Live Cricket Streaming, New Zealand will take on Bangladesh in the 3rd One day International on the 11th February at the AMI Stadium, Christchurch. Bangladesh has lost the series and will hoping to save their grace by winning the last ODI.
Watch Live Cricket
Bangladesh batted first and scored 183/8 and the top scorers of the team were Mushfiqur Rahim made 83 and Naeem Islam scored 43. New Zealand scored 185 with five wickets to spare. And this win also gave a series victory for the Kiwis. Luteru Ross Poutoa Lote Taylor made 72 and was also the top scorer for the Kiwis.
The Kiwis will come strongly to claim another win and book three consecutive wins and the match is greatly in favor of the Kiwis unless and until the Bangladeshis try and show some heroics to win this last match of series. But that seems to quite a bleak chance for the Bangladesh team to win the game as the Kiwis are in a stronger form.
Watch Live Cricket
New Zealand Vs Bangladesh 3rd ODI Live Cricket was first posted on February 11, 2010 at 11:00 am.
Asif bowls Pak back in the game
Pakistan have New Zealand reeling at 147 for 8 at stumps on Day 4 in their second innings with Mohammad Asif picking up four wickets. New Zealand still have a slight edge over Pakistan in winning the Test match with a lead of 244 and two wickets in hand. Weather conditions will play a crucial role in deciding the result of the game, it had his toll even on the fourth day with rain and bad light eating off crucial time.
The visitors stretched their first innings total to 332 from an overnight score of 307 for 8 which cut the New Zealand lead to 97 runs. In their second innings, Mohammad Aamer came up with another first over dismissal, this time removing Martin Guptill in the fourth ball. In the 3rd over, Asif provided the double break with Flynn getting out lbw for a duck as well.
New Zealand recovered from 0 for 2 to 68 for 2 at lunch with Ross Taylor batting fluently on 48. Pakistan after lunch shot back with quick wickets to turn the match on its head. Five wickets went down in a hurry at the addition of just 36 runs. Khurram Manzoor initiated the downfall for the Kiwis with a direct throw to run out Ross Taylor (59 from 83 balls with 7 fours and a six). Peter Fulton and Brendon McCullum were out for 0 to make it four ducks in this Kiwi innings! First innings hero Daniel Vettori was dismissed by Asif cheaply.
The Kiwis still have Grant Elliott batting on 20 along with Iain O’Brien who is not a bad tailender at all. Pakistan have certainly got back into the match through their bowlers but now its all upto their top order to come good and seize the moment provided the weather holds good. Asif had a rich haul of 4 for 41 in 17.5 overs to follow up with his 4 for 108 in the first innings. Aamer complemented him with a couple of wickets.
? 2009, CricketMove.Com. All rights reserved. Partner with APakistanNews.com
Asif bowls Pak back in the game was first posted on November 27, 2009 at 8:52 pm.
Pakistan hara-kiri lets Kiwis win Cool and Cool Cup
Pakistan batsmen gave a perfect example of how to lose an easy match in the third and final ODI at Abu Dhabi. New Zealand too did the same, almost losing the match towards the end but just managed to scrape through with a 7-run win. Set to chase only 212 on a perfect batting strip, Pakistan from a solid 47 for no loss slipped to 86 for 8 in the 24th over and after 10 overs of scratching around from Umar Gul, it became 101 for 9. The match was expected to be over in a matter of 10 minutes but instead it was an unbelievable 10th wicket partnership of 103 between Aamer and Ajmal that almost pulled off a miraculous victory for Pakistan.
New Zealand won a crucial toss and elected to bat first. They were setting themselves nicely for the 300-mark after a lovely opening start of 72 in 11.3 overs. Redmond’s slash at thirdman finally got some smiles in the Pakistani fielders. Off spinner Saeed Ajmal made it 88 for 2 when he forced a leading edge from Martin Guptill in the 17th over. It was the turn of the Kiwis to fight back and they did it through a 50-run stand between Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor. Shoaib Malik broke the partnership when he got a return catch from the dangerous McCullum (76 from 78 balls with 6 fours and 3 sixes).
Pakistan were red hot in the middle overs with the spin trio of Ajmal, Afridi and Malik bowling plenty of dot balls to pile up the pressure on the Kiwis. The batsmen too were not good enough to get their bats down on time to block some deadly quicker ones. New Zealand out of nowhere, from 138 for 3 slipped to 198 for 9. They finished with a disappointing 211 all out in 46.3 overs. Ross Taylor scored 44 from 69 before he played across the line to get lbw to Ajmal. Broom was lbw to a skidding googly from Afridi. Skipper Vettori and Jacob Oram were both lbw to Ajmal’s quick skidding deliveries that came back with the arm. Saeed Ajmal bowled a magic spell indeed with 4 for 33 in his 10 overs. Shoaib Malik did a good job along with Afridi at a time when Ajmal left the field due to cramps.
Pakistan got off to a solid start, with 47 on the board in over 8 overs. Vettori had to bring himself in early and he provided the opening by striking the pad of Khalid Latif (19). In the 11th over, an out-of-form and a totally nervous Younis Khan ran out a well set Salman Butt (25). A ball later, the Pakistani Captain got dismissed for 3 from 16 balls after edging an away going one off Bond. Pakistan were now on the backfoot at 51 for 3 and the Kiwis were smart enough to control the match after this.
A series of short balls brought the wicket of Shoaib Malik which was followed up with three big wickets that of Umar Akmal (edging a cut shot), Shahid Afridi (edging a booming drive on the up) and Kamran Akmal (playing a horrendous pull shot). The last hope – Abdul Razzaq was run out and Pakistan were embarassed at 86 for 8. The Black Caps had to wait about 10 overs before they could get rid off Umar Gul off a pick up shot to deep mid wicket.
The match did not finish quickly as expected as the 10th wicket pair of Aamer and Ajmal could succeed in prolonging it further and further. Aamer started a possible fightback with three slog sweeps for three sixes off Vettori. The left hander never looked in trouble and even played a glorious inside out cover drive off Shane Bond. Along with Ajmal, he brought the target down unknowingly and moments later, Pakistan were nervously inching towards a victory with just 13 more needed to win from the final two overs. Aamer was confident having got past a maiden ODI fifty but his partner Ajmal left him down in the end after hooking in the air to fine leg in the first ball of the last over with Pakistan needing 8 runs to win off 6 balls.
Saeed Ajmal was dismissed for 33 (from 44 balls with 2 fours) while his partner Mohammad Aamer was the hero with an unbeaten 73 from 81 balls with 7 fours and 3 sixes. They almost robbed what could have been a famous victory for Pakistan in the end and leaving Vettori furious. For New Zealand, the best bowler was Jacob Oram with 3 for 20 in 9.1 overs but the opening in the match was certainly given by Vettori and Bond. Aamer got the Man of the Match for his all-round efforts while Brendon McCullum was given the Player of the Series.
? 2009, CricketMove.Com. All rights reserved. Partner with APakistanNews.com
Pakistan hara-kiri lets Kiwis win Cool and Cool Cup was first posted on November 10, 2009 at 10:31 am.
