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Thursday, March 31, 2011

India Well Prepared For Pressure Games Says Dhoni


One of the most important benefits from India's scrappy World Cup semi-final victory over Pakistan - apart from the sound and sight of a hundred firecrackers going out around the PCA stadium on a Mohali night and the adoration of millions - is their team's sense of being in what captain MS Dhoni equated to a good spell.

Dhoni said the format of the World Cup had helped the Indians get to a stage just before the final where off-field distractions and on-field pressures could both be handled. "The format really helped us. We have had quite a few close games where we were tested. Some of the youngsters were tested. They were at the crease at a time when a big performance was needed from them. Slowly they are getting into the groove."

Dhoni said India's performances in the knockouts had given the team a greater sense of comfort going into the final, with regard to the pressures of the event. He compared the last week of the World Cup to a bowler bowling at more than 150kph. "Once you do that you don't think whether you are bowling 155 or 160. So I think after the semis, the final won't feel much different. The feeling (of the importance of a game) has been static for a while and hopefully that will really help us."

In the semi-final, Dhoni said the Indians had read the wicket incorrectly in deciding to opt for a 3-1 attack, replacing offspinner R Ashwin with left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra. It was driven, he said, by India's part-time options as well as Pakistani batsmen generally being at ease against spin. "We can manoeuvre with the part-timers. We thought on a normal Mohali pitch, you don't see assistance to spinners. The ball doesn't turn big time. Here the ball was stopping.

Sachin Tendulkar, Suresh Raina and Munaf Patel celebrate after India ended up winners, India v Pakistan, 2nd semi-final, World Cup 2011, Mohali, March 30, 2011
India have developed a familiarity with that winning feeling in two knockout games this World Cup © Getty Images
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"I felt it was better to go with safer option, but we went with a safe option and misread the wicket."

The Indians, Dhoni said, had paced their innings against Pakistan well, particularly when compared to how they had handled the World Cup's middle and end overs prior to this game. The track, he said, became slower at the halfway stage, and with the Pakistanis bowling tight and India losing Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh off consecutive deliveries, it had become difficult to rotate the strike. "Their spinners bowled really well, even Mohammad Hafeez was able to capitalise." The innings calculation had then been tempered down. "After losing two wickets in the middle overs it is important to bat 50 overs in big games, you shouldn't look to score 300-320. If the wicket is behaving in a different way, re-adjust your target."

Dhoni said he had thought India's total of 260 was "a good score not a safe score" and India's immediate target had been to "not give away runs with the new ball."

All that Dhoni was willing to comment on about the first-ever all-Asian World Cup final to be held on April 2 was to praise the Sri Lankans for their progress through the tournament. India he said, "have also really been tested more often than not and it will be a really good game. It's not about what your rating is but how good you are on the day. You have to be at your best."

Shahid Afridi Proud Of Pakistan's Performance


Shahid Afridi pronounced himself "proud" of his team's performance in the World Cup and hoped that their reception on arrival in Pakistan would reflect the side's achievement in getting to the last four at a time when expectations were significantly lower.

Pakistan lost by 29 runs to India in Mohali in a scrappy match, in which they were generally off their game with bat, ball and, most damagingly, in the field. They were in with a chance at various stages, including when they began the chase, only to let it slip each time.

Afridi said the batting, their weaker suit, had been problematic again. There were several starts but no stand greater than the opening one of 44. "We were struggling to build partnerships right through the tournament," he said. "The matches where we had partnerships we made good scores. Because we couldn't make partnerships, today we struggled and played some bad shots at the wrong time as well."

But their run-in to the game, with only one loss in seven matches, came after another period of turmoil which saw them lose three key players in last year's spot-fixing scandal, including a dangerous new-ball opening pair in Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir. To add to the instability, Afridi wasn't appointed captain until two weeks before the tournament began but an unheralded Pakistan side beat Sri Lanka, Australia and West Indies en route to the semi-final.

Afridi had said before the tournament he wanted his team in the last four and despite the loss, seemed in generally upbeat mood. "I am proud of my team and the boys have done a great job in this World Cup. A few of the youngsters are very promising and we played as a unit. Winning and losing is something different but we really played really good cricket and no one was expecting us to play cricket like this. As captain I'm very happy."


Saeed Ajmal and Kamran Akmal rush to celebrate Sachin Tendulkar's dismissal with Shahid Afridi, World Cup 2011, Mohali, March 30, 2011
Shahid Afridi: "To build this team and the effort we put in was phenomenal." © Getty Images
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The run was Pakistan's best in a World Cup since 1999, when they were runners-up to Australia. In 2003 and 2007 they were eliminated before the knock-out stages, disastrous results which led to intense anger and criticism on their return. It is unlikely Afridi's side will receive a similar reception though already the early signs of reaction from Pakistan seemed to focus on Misbah-ul-Haq's slow batting in the chase as the cause of defeat.

"We have played better than those sides [of 2003 and 2007] and they were good sides," Afridi said. "We didn't have much hope from this side but I have respect for my team. Reception? We will go back, people will give us confidence, they backed us. If those people who make us stars say a little what's wrong with that? It's nothing big. Nobody wanted Pakistan to lose, we wanted to win, but people I think realize we gave it our all. To win six games from eight is a big achievement."

A few incidents apart, Pakistan went through the tournament without any major scandal and a visible sense of unity and togetherness within the squad. That in itself was a minor triumph given what had gone before. "The difficult circumstances we played cricket in, the difficult circumstances we have gone through in the last nine-ten months, to build this team and the effort we put in was phenomenal.

"I'd like to thank the PCB chairman for giving me support and the way the boys supported each other and me, the management and the coach, they really helped me a lot. To take a broken team, make it into a team for the World Cup and to perform like no one was expecting, I'm happy with that."

Literally Pakistan Let It Slip Through Their Fingers


At some point over the next couple of days, Pakistan will come to understand just how close they actually got - with this side whom few gave a chance - to getting to a World Cup final. The margin of defeat looks comfortable enough but there wasn't a whole lot between them and India, ultimately, other than a safe pair of hands somewhere, anywhere in the field.

There are many frustrating ways to lose a game, let alone one as big as this, but few gnaw away at reason and rationality quite like those lost to dropped catches. In this age of the instant vent and search for a "match ka mujrim" (criminal of the match), Misbah-ul-Haq's innings is already being pilloried in Pakistan for its poor pacing. The reaction is misplaced and overdone, for the pitch wasn't given to fluent strokeplay, particularly after the ball softened, and there had already been some momentum-losing poor shots earlier from the openers.

Blaming the batting in any case misses the point. Pakistan are never comfortable chasers and 261, in a World Cup semi-final, at the home of the opposition is an entirely different kind of 261 from the ones they might chase down in a bilateral series in the UAE. The point is, they shouldn't have been chasing that much in the first place.

There are some truisms in cricket that Pakistan quite brazenly and joyously ignore; leading among them are those to do with catching. They win matches? Yes, but not as much as scoring runs and taking wickets, thank you. They once dropped Graeme Smith five times as he ground out 65 in an ODI in Lahore, and still won the match comfortably. They dropped seven catches in an innings in New Zealand in 2009-10 and won the Test comfortably. These are to recall just two examples from a sizeable sample.

But there are some rules in life you cannot defy, some batsmen you really cannot give a chance to. And if you give Sachin Tendulkar four chances - not one but four! Tendulkar! - you cannot expect to win a game, no matter what else you do. It was one of Tendulkar's least fluent recent innings as well, but in the drops of Misbah, Younis Khan - their two best catchers -Kamran Akmal and Umar Akmal, went the game. It is as simple as that.

It wasn't - as it never is - just the runs that came after the drops, though Tendulkar did add 58 runs after the first chance went down. It was the mood that was lost each time. The first spill, with Tendulkar on 27, came as Pakistan were beginning to regain their senses after Virender Sehwag's early blast. Tendulkar had just survived two torrid overs from Saeed Ajmal and a seminal moment was at hand.

The second, on 45, came the over after Gautam Gambhir had gone. Momentum again was at stake. The third came a few overs after Wahab Riaz's two-wicket over left India in a position of real danger. All chances, incidentally, were created by the tournament's leading wicket-taker, the man to whom Pakistan look for inspiration, for breakthroughs, for controlling the middle overs of the game, their captain, a man who thrives on taking precisely such wickets, Shahid Afridi.
The effects of this on a game cannot possibly be calculated, except to say the obvious, that it changes everything and goes beyond runs alone. Who knows what target Pakistan could have been chasing? There was another, less important, miss later, on 81, but a miss nonetheless and none of the outfield catches were difficult.

"We made some big mistakes in fielding, we dropped some catches, and catches for Sachin," Afridi said. He then quipped, referring to his much-discussed phantom statement in the build-up of trying to prevent a 100th international Tendulkar hundred, "I told you he wouldn't score a hundred." It was gallows humour.

It is sad - but also predictable - that ultimately it came down to Pakistan's fielding, for that is the one area they have really worked hard on in training and actually thought about methodically, making sure for once of placing the right fielders in the right places. Younger players have come in who genuinely enjoy fielding, a couple of older ones have led the way.

They have been very sharp as they were against Australia but also still capable of sudden, unexpected tragi-comedy as against Sri Lanka at the R Premadasa in the second half of the hosts' chase and today. Overall, they have been considerably better than before, in particular with the energy they have brought on to the field. But there is much, much more to be done.

If they are skilled and contrary enough to get away with it against most sides and players, to expect to do so against the game's greatest modern-day batsman, in such a setting, is to expect miracles.

Gilani Briefs Zardari On Cricket Diplomacy


Prime Minister Syed Yusaf Raza Gilani called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Thursday and briefed the President about his visit to India and his discussion with the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The President welcomed the meeting of the two leaders as a positive development for the region and hoped that it would provide further impetus to the efforts for meaningful dialogue between the two countries on all outstanding issues.

The President also appreciated Indian prime minister’s invitation to the Pakistani leadership to visit India. Regular interactions at all levels, he noted, would not only provide a solid platform to resolve our mutual issues but would also help to obviate and reduce misperceptions and mistrusts.

The President cheered both the teams for providing opportunity to witness a good game. Winning or losing the match was not really important, the President continued, what was important and appreciable was the sportsman spirit and effort of our boys in the field and the fact that the event provided an opportunity for the leadership to get together and also entertained people of the two neighbouring countries.

Later the President hosted lunch for the prime minister. Senator Rehman Malik, Federal Minister for Interior, was also present during the lunch.

The meeting between the prime ministers of Pakistan and India in Mohali has proved to be a success, the Foreign Office said on Thursday.

During his visit to Mohali, Prime Minister Gilani extended an invitation to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Leader of the Congress Party Sonia Gandhi to visit Pakistan.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Mercurial Outsiders Vs Solid Favourites



Beyond the hype this contest can perhaps be best viewed through the prism of the two captains. Shahid Afridi is the passionate, exhibitionist leader who doesn't mind showing his emotions on the field. He will shout, cajole, plead, laugh, roar and feel every pulsating moment of the contest. It's exactly what this Pakistan team needs after all those controversies, someone who can remind them of the school-boyish joy that this game can provide.

MS Dhoni is the uber-cool captain and, while he can be vocal while dealing with the press, he is almost invisible on the field. Silent nods of appreciation, a quiet word in the ear, calm instructions, a shrug of the shoulder is all you will get from him. And again, it's what this star-heavy team needs. Someone who can be calm and remind them of the basics of the game.

Pakistan - who told their players they could be here in the semi-finals? - almost renews itself with each crisis. That's how it has been always: Controversies. Paralysis. Rebirth. Success. And more controversies. This was a big tournament for the survival of Misbah-ul-Haq, in the middle of a great comeback. In a sense, the spot-fixing saga and its sordid aftermath was actually a blessing in disguise since it paved the way for his return.

For Younis Khan, too, survival instinct, as a batsman facing a dip in form before the tournament, would have helped in dealing with that crisis. Playing his last tournament, Shoaib Akhtar knew this was the time to let his game do the talking. And for that man Afridi, mentally almost perennially young, this was the best chance to dazzle on the biggest stage. He has taken that chance and led the team with great passion. Kamran Akmal lives and breathes in amnesia. Bad memories don't haunt him - who else could have recovered so well after that nightmarish effort against New Zealand?

And yet nothing much has changed with the way they play cricket on the field. It's still the bowlers who win the games for them. For all that is mercurial about them, Pakistan have lost just one game in this tournament.

India have occasionally limped, at times choked, sometimes dazzled, before beating Australia to reach to the semi-finals. The progress card has the bowlers in the red, the batsmen guilty of not finishing the job, and the fielding has always been almost beyond redemption. Their mode of progress should actually have freed them up in some ways.

The batsmen must have realised that they can't try too hard to cover up for their bowlers' weakness, by trying to pile on too much, with the batting Powerplay pulling the rug from under their feet a few times. The bowlers showed they are learning from the serial hiding by putting up a pretty disciplined effort against Australia. In some ways, the pressure must be off them, as not many would be surprised if they leak 300 runs.

It's the batting India depend on. Is there any chink in it barring those Powerplay debacles? Gautam Gambhir hasn't been at his personal best - were he playing at his optimum, he would have rendered Virat Kohli superfluous at No.

 4. Yet Gambhir's slightly iffy form has made Kohli vital in that middle order. Prior to the tournament, it was felt that Kohli would be a misfit in the lower order, where Suresh Raina and Yusuf Pathan would be more dangerous, and that he might be wasted even further up. But Gambhir hasn't been at his fluent best and India have turned to Kohli to take them through the middle overs. Gambhir has always raised his game against Pakistan and his form will be crucial on Wednesday as it would then give the middle order the licence to attack.


Virender Sehwag In the past few games Sehwag has - curiously, for a batsman so wonderfully innovative as him - tried to hit every spinner through the off side. He would back away and try to drive, slice or cut and has fallen a few times in the process. Pakistan might well have a spinner bowling at him early and it will be fascinating to see whether Sehwag will retain that off-side bias or be more inclusive, and open, in his approach.

Umar Gul's yorkers: After Lasith Malinga, Gul has probably the best control over the yorker in world cricket today. There have of course been days when the radar has been awry but more often than not he has got them right. The Indian lower middle order will be fully tested by the yorkers, slower ones and the bouncers that he loves to bowl.

Sachin Tendulkar v Abdul Razzaq: Bowlers like Hansie Cronje and Razzaq, more than the Umar Guls and the Shoaib Akhtars, have been reasonably successful against Tendulkar. Cronje used to tease Tendulkar with deliveries shaping away from a length outside off while Razzaq specialises in the opposite: he slides the ball back in, looking for that lbw. He hasn't always had success, but it will be a mini-battle worth watching. Will Tendulkar opt for all-out attack or will he bat with relative care against Razzaq?

Zaheer Khan v Kamran Akmal: Kamran loves to square drive and Zaheer has been able to bend the ball back in to the right-hand batsmen this tournament with the new ball. This contest should be fun.

Umar Akmal v spin: India will rely a lot on the slow bowlers during the middle overs, and Umar is the middle-order batsman who loves to attack spin. He has laid into the likes of Daniel Vettori on the tour of New Zealand and is always itching to cut and slog-sweep.


The signs are that Ashish Nehra is likely to replace Munaf Patel. Even Yusuf Pathan has been sweating it out in the nets raising speculations that he might push R Ashwin hard for a spot in the team. Ashwin has been really good in the games he has played and has added some teeth to the attack while the nature of the patta track has made India think about bringing in Yusuf.

India (probable): 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Gautam Gambhir, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Yuvraj Singh, 6 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 7 Suresh Raina, 8 Yusuf Pathan / R Ashwin, 9 Harbhajan Singh, 10 Zaheer Khan, 11 Ashish Nehra
Pakistan are thinking of playing three seamers. The choice of the third seamer is between Shoaib and Wahab Riaz. Afridi said Shoaib wasn't 100% fit today but a decision will be taken on the evening preceding the match.

Pakistan (probable) 1 Kamran Akmal (wk), 2 Mohammad Hafeez, 3 Asad Shafiq, 4 Younis Khan, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq, 6 Umar Akmal, 7 Shahid Afridi (capt), 8 Abdul Razzaq, 9 Saeed Ajmal / Abdur Rehman, 10 Umar Gul, 11 Wahab Riaz / Shoaib Akhtar.
Try picking the XIs for tomorrow's game by playing Team Selector.
Pitch and conditions
It's a batting pitch but what's eating up everyone is the dew factor. Read here for a report on the pitch .

Stats and trivia

  • Afridi is the first bowler in World Cup history to take four wickets in a match on four different occasions in a tournament.

  • MS Dhoni is the only wicket-keeper captain who has played in 100 ODIs.

  • Zaheer Khan is the second Indian bowler after Javagal Srinath (44 wickets) to take more than 40 wickets in World Cups.

    For more stats click here
    Quotes

    "I feel I have been batting really well. It is just that in some situation I could not bat flamboyantly. If you bat at 5, 6 or 7, and if the top order does really well, it does not give opportunity to lower-order batsmen. The last game was an ideal game where I could have got a bit more runs which were needed at that point of time. So form has been a worry it is just that sometimes there were not many opportunities and when there was an opportunity and there were times I was not able to score in a particular game".

  • Live Cricket World Streaming: Pakistan Vs India

    Beyond the hype this contest can perhaps be best viewed through the prism of the two captains. Shahid Afridi is the passionate, exhibitionist leader who doesn't mind showing his emotions on the field. He will shout, cajole, plead, laugh, roar and feel every pulsating moment of the contest. It's exactly what this Pakistan team needs after all those controversies, someone who can remind them of the school-boyish joy that this game can provide.

    MS Dhoni is the uber-cool captain and, while he can be vocal while dealing with the press, he is almost invisible on the field. Silent nods of appreciation, a quiet word in the ear, calm instructions, a shrug of the shoulder is all you will get from him. And again, it's what this star-heavy team needs. Someone who can be calm and remind them of the basics of the game.

    Pakistan - who told their players they could be here in the semi-finals? - almost renews itself with each crisis. That's how it has been always: Controversies. Paralysis. Rebirth. Success. And more controversies. This was a big tournament for the survival of Misbah-ul-Haq, in the middle of a great comeback.

     In a sense, the spot-fixing saga and its sordid aftermath was actually a blessing in disguise since it paved the way for his return. For Younis Khan, too, survival instinct, as a batsman facing a dip in form before the tournament, would have helped in dealing with that crisis.

    Umar Gul Focus On India Top Order


    Umar Gul is the man who operates in the shadows of his more colourful companions of the Pakistani bowling pack. Behind his captain Shahid Afridi among Pakistan's leading wicket-takers at this World Cup - 14 wickets to Afridi's 21 - Gul has emerged as the searing inquisitor with the new ball en route to Pakistan's arrival into the semi-final.

    It will all come to a head in Mohali on Wednesday when Gul opens the bowling against the strongest batting contingent of the event. It is his first spell that could dictate how the rest of his team's overs go, but Gul has identified what he needs to do. "The first three wickets in the top-order are very crucial for us.

     They are depending on the top three. I am looking for these three batsmen." Now these are words tailor-made for screaming headlines, ("Gul targets top three", "Gul wants to rip through India top order") but Gul delivered them as if he were saying something routine. Like telling the physio about his ankles or ordering room service.

    Were Gul to run into India's top three in their hotel corridor between now and Wednesday afternoon, there would be handshakes, smiles and pleasant chit-chat. It is a fact that most of the fans on both sides find hard to to digest, particularly two days before the World Cup semi-final that once again sets up one of the most over-heated rivalries in sport.

    Gul said that given the strength of the Indian batting, the World Cup had taken his bowling to the rhythm it needed at the right time. "Our bowling is very good. Afridi is the leading wicket-taker.

    I am happy with my performance and form. We have a bit of an advantage with our bowling but I am happy with the way the batsmen played in the quarter-final." He said that the ideal combination for Wednesday would be the Pakistani bowlers being on top of their game on a friendly wicket, and the batting giving the start like it had against the West Indies.

    The advantages of working with coach Waqar Younis and assistant coach Aaqib Javed, both fast bowlers of skill and nous, had found strong echoes at the World Cup, according to Gul. "I've only fully understood in this World Cup how much help I have got from them." On the tour to New Zealand, Waqar had informed Gul that he would be bowling with the new ball in the World Cup.

     "For the last one-and-a-half-years, I wasn't able to deliver with the new ball because of which I lost my form." In the last two-three months, however, working with both Waqar and Aaqib, had brought it all back, rhythm, confidence and success. "It's been like I was bowling in the past, I've got my new-ball skills back, which is good for the team."

    One of the biggest dilemmas facing Pakistan is whether to play Shoaib Akhtar in what could be one of his last matches. Shoaib was dropped following Pakistan's defeat to New Zealand but Gul dismissed the talk that he had been omitted because of issues within the team about Shoaib's conduct. "He was rested after the New Zealand match so that he can focus on his fitness. The way he has been practicing for three days, I hope he will do well."

    Shoaib's partnership with medium-pacer Abdul Razzaq and also the spin option of Mohammed Hafeez at the start has worked well enough, but Gul welcomed the idea of sharing the new ball with Shoaib. Asked whether he personally would like to partner Shoaib against India, Gul said, "Of course. He is our most experienced bowler and he has done very well in the past, especially against India. A little bit of pressure will be lifted off me too if he plays because in the last couple of matches, when Shoaib wasn't there, all the pressure was on me."

    Gul was asked whether he agreed with what MS Dhoni had said about the match actually being bigger than a final. He said, "See, I don't think Dhoni was talking for himself, he was speaking about the expectations of the Indian people. As a player, no one would say this (a semi-final) is bigger than the final, but every cricketer feels the pressure of their people. We also feel the same pressure - our people also feel that we must beat India in each match. You can say that, if we were speaking not for ourselves, but for Pakistan's people, then yeah, it's a final and we will try to win.


     
     
    "It is only natural, every player hopes he will get the kind of fame that Sachin or Afridi has. It doesn't work that way though. Players like that are idols, so Afridi and Shoaib, whether they perform or don't perform, are idols for the people of Pakistan."
     


    "A semi-final can't be bigger than a final but it's a big match, a high-pressure match." Whether it is a knockout game or a league game, "any match against India is a big match always," Gul said, and then, for the first time in the press conference, he smiled.

    The match was "crucial" for the teams but then Gul moved beyond the cricket. "It brings both countries closer, it's very good not only for the players but also for both countries." The prime ministers of both nations seem to agree with the fast bowler. "People from both countries want us to play each other often. Both fans enjoy the cricket because the more we play each other, it's better. I hope it will be a good match and both countries play well."

    He also understood what the consequences would be for the losing semi-finalists. "Always, whether you are the Indian or the Pakistani team, there is pressure. The supporters of both teams absolutely cannot bear a defeat. But we've done well in the World Cup, we've won six of our seven games. The kind of support we have got from Pakistan, we are very happy. Whether we win or lose is not in our hands, inshallah we will try and play good cricket."

    The team had not heard of Pakistan interior minister Rehman Malik's comments about how they would be monitored closely following the spot-fixing controversy. "I am not aware of this until now ... We don't focus on the media; we are focussing only on our cricket. The kind of pressure we have had over the last several months and the way we have handled it, this (the Malik statement) is no pressure at all."

    Before he walked off to be with his mates and in the shadows again Gul faced a question about whether he sought stardom of the kind enjoyed by Afridi and Shoaib. He could have given the safe answer but chose not to. He spoke like a young man doing the hard yards in a punishing profession.

    "It is only natural, every player hopes he will get the kind of fame that Sachin (Tendulkar) or Afridi has. It doesn't work that way though. Players like that are idols, so Afridi and Shoaib, whether they perform or don't perform, are idols for the people of Pakistan. They will always remain that way. Sometimes in the heart, yes I do wish that I have the same kind of fans that Afridi and Shoaib have, the same fan following."

    Then the fast bowler in him returned and he said, "But even then, I am satisfied with the following I have but I am never satisfied with my performance. If I do well in one game I want to perform better in the next ... I always want to try to perform better than the previous time."

    No better time to perform than in a World Cup semi-final.

    Which is why in the evening, like Gul had earlier promised, the Pakistanis turned out for a fielding session under lights, spending an hour. It was meant to assess the dew factor in Mohali and to give their skills one final polish. Pakistan are not practicising tomorrow and this session under lights would be their last hour on the field before they walk out into the sun on Wednesday afternoon.

    Sangakkara And Dilshan Put SriLanka On Course


    Jesse Ryder pulled off an outstanding one-handed catch at point to dismiss Upul Tharanga, as New Zealand defended their mediocre total of 217 with customary tenacity in the first semi-final in Colombo. However, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara responded with an unhurried stand of 70 in 18 overs, to manoeuvre their team into a formidable position of 116 for 1 at the halfway mark of the chase.

    For the second match running at the Premadasa Stadium, there was a certain sense of inevitability to the proceedings - certainly so far as the packed and jubilant home crowd were concerned - and when Tharanga launched their run-chase by advancing down the track to club his third ball, from Nathan McCullum, straight down the ground for six, Sri Lanka were always ahead of the asking-rate.

    Nevertheless, Tharanga's departure for 30 from 31 balls changed the tempo of the Sri Lankan innings, not least because the manner of his dismissal was sensational. Up until that point he had smoked four fours in addition to that six, as he continued his form where he had left off with his century against England, and he was sizing up his fifth four when he climbed into a wide one from Tim Southee and smacked a cut to Ryder's left at point.

    Ryder is not the most nimble athlete at this tournament, but he saw the shot straight off the bat, flung himself horizontally to cling on his outstretched left hand, and celebrated with a fling of the arms reminiscent of Andrew Flintoff in his final Ashes series. A similar moment of fielding brilliance, from Jacob Oram, had ignited the charge against South Africa last week, and at 40 for 1, New Zealand dared to dream.

    Dilshan and Sangakkara had other ideas, however. Though neither man was at his most fluent, the target was such that they did not need to rush. Sangakkara had an early let-off when he edged Oram at a catchable height through the vacant slip cordon, while Dilshan - who had been so combative against England - took 28 deliveries to score the second boundary of his innings, and his 50th of the World Cup to date.

    But he went on to pass 400 runs for the tournament, en route to overtaking Jonathan Trott as the leading run-scorer, and New Zealand began to run out of ideas. Sangakkara began to nail his trademark cover-drive, with one fierce blow off Oram eluding the grasp of the fielder Martin Guptill, before Dilshan swiped the same bowler over midwicket for six, shortly after bringing up the 100 in the 24th over.

    48.5 overs New Zealand 217 (Styris 57, Mendis 3-35) v Sri Lanka

    Rangana Herath celebrates Brendon McCullum's wicket, Sri Lanka v New Zealand, 1st semi-final, World Cup 2011, Colombo, March 29, 2011
    Rangana Herath made the first breakthrough of the innings © AFP
    Enlarge


    Scott Styris ground out a responsible 57 from 76 balls on a worn wicket at the Premadasa Stadium, to provide the bed-rock of New Zealand's total of 217 in the first semi-final against Sri Lanka in Colombo. But when he was extracted lbw by the final delivery that Muttiah Muralitharan will ever bowl on home soil, Sri Lanka closed in to claim 4 for 4 from the final 12 balls of the innings to put themselves within touching distance of Saturday's World Cup final in Mumbai.
    New Zealand's performance was eerily similar that which England compiled against the same opponents, and on the very same strip of turf, in last week's quarter-final.

    Then as now, their performance centred around one big partnership in the middle of the innings, a 77-run stand between Styris and Ross Taylor, and though they fared better than England in taking 41 runs from the batting Powerplay, they were also undone by the depth and variety of Sri Lanka's attack, with Lasith Malinga's yorkers scalping three key wickets at critical moments.
    After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, New Zealand set themselves to be positive from the outset, with Martin Guptill flicking Malinga's fifth delivery over midwicket before Brendon McCullum galloped down the track to loft Rangana Herath's second ball down the ground, a shot which he followed with a superbly timed sweep over square leg for six.

    But in between the boundary shots, runs proved stiflingly hard to come by, and in the eighth over McCullum's patience ran out. He sized up another slog-sweep against Herath but chose the wrong line to attack. The ball held its line to fizz past his outside edge and clip off stump, and McCullum was on his way for 13 from 21 balls.

    Jesse Ryder, the hero of New Zealand's stunning quarter-final victory over South Africa, once again looked in good order as he cracked Ajantha Mendis fiercely past point for his first boundary, before leaning into a fraction of width from Angelo Mathews to ease his second four through the covers.

    But Muttiah Muralitharan, who looked barely a quarter fit when he dived over a flick from Guptill to let four easy runs slip through his fingers at short fine leg, responded with a ripper of a delivery straight after the drinks break. Lured into another cut, Ryder was already committed to the shot as the ball gripped and bounced, and Kumar Sangakkara held onto the top edge.

    All the while, Guptill was bedding down and building for the big one. But the strength of Sri Lanka's bowling is in its variety, and when Malinga returned for his second spell in the 21st over, he instantly found his range. Ross Taylor dug out a fierce late swinger that zipped through third man for four, but two balls later, Guptill was not so lucky. A brutal late-swinging yorker detonated his middle stump, and New Zealand had slumped to 84 for 3.

    Styris, however, responded with bravado, driving a Malinga half-volley through the covers before pinging the shot of the day back past the bowler in the same over. With good running between the wickets, he and Ross Taylor were able to keep the scoreboard from stagnating against the spinners, but it was Malinga's extra pace that really got Styris going, as he pulled a bouncer firmly in front of square, then three balls later, nailed another drive through the covers.

    While Styris continued to set New Zealand's tempo, Taylor at the other end found the going much tougher, and on 36 from 55 balls, he leaned back to pull a long-hop from Mendis, only to pick out Upul Tharanga on the deep midwicket boundary. His dismissal brought to an end a hard-worked stand of 77, but with 10 overs remaining, Kane Williamson arrived with an aggressive intent that served his team well in the batting Powerplay.

    Though he was extremely fortunate to survive a suicidal piece of running on 4, when his tap to mid-off resulted in a missed shy from Mahela Jayawardene, Williamson's determination to use his feet served him well against pace and spin alike. A swatted four over midwicket put another dent in Malinga's figures, before Muralitharan was picked off for consecutive boundaries in his eighth over. The first of those, through the covers, also featured the worrying sight of Angelo Mathews pulling up lame as he chased the ball to the rope, and he soon left the field for treatment.

    Malinga exacted his revenge one over later when another zippy yorker trapped Williamson in front of middle-and-off, although with 22 from 16 balls, he had done his job well. Malinga then followed up with a slower ball to have Nathan McCullum caught behind on the slog - though not before McCullum had drilled Muralitharan over the covers for six.

    A poked four through third man from Jacob Oram meant New Zealand managed a respectable 41 runs in the Powerplay, the most conceded by Sri Lanka in the tournament to date, and almost twice as many as England (23) had managed from a similar starting point on Saturday. But then came the collapse, and all that good work unravelled.

    These two teams have been in this position plenty times before. New Zealand have reached the semi-finals in six of the ten World Cups to date, a prolific record from a habitually under-rated team, while Sri Lanka have made it this far for the third consecutive tournament, having been knocked out by the eventual winners Australia in 2003, before beating the Kiwis at the same stage four years ago, thanks to a brilliant hundred from Mahela Jayawardene at Sabina Park.

    Ricky Ponting Steps Down As Captain After World Cup


    Ricky Ponting has stepped down as Australia's captain in Tests and ODIs following their quarter-final exit from the World Cup but will be available for selection as a batsman in both formats. Ponting made the announcement at the SCG on Tuesday, and backed Michael Clarke to take over the leadership of the team.
    Ponting said the World Cup exit had prompted his decision and that "no one has tapped me on the shoulder asking me to go."

    "I have resigned as captain of both the Test and one-day Australian teams. I will continue to play and am available for selection in both the one day and Test teams," Ponting said.

    "I have thought long and hard about what Australian cricket needs. Now is the right time for the next captain to assume the responsibility for both the Test and one-day teams. We have to be doing everything we can to win back the Ashes in 2013-14 and the World Cup in 2015.

     It is highly unlikely that I will be still playing so it is the right decision for Australian cricket that the next captain now be appointed. This will give him the opportunity to create his own direction and legacy.

    "Today is a new start for me and I am very excited about the future.
     I will give my complete support to our new captain and continue to do my best to set the best possible example for my team-mates and emerging cricketers alike."


    Ricky Ponting warms up for a practice session, World Cup, Ahmedabad, March 23, 2011
    Ricky Ponting tenure as Australia's captain is over © Getty Images
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    Any suggestions that Ponting might have been told it was time to quit as captain were categorically denied by the man himself, and his words rang true next to the obvious - and perhaps not always constructive - deference of the chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch, coach Tim Nielsen and CA chief executive James Sutherland.

    "I'll absolutely go on record here as saying I've had no tap on the shoulder from anybody; this is a decision that's been made wholly and solely by me and people close to me, my family first and foremost," Ponting said.

    "If the decision was too late I think I would've had the selectors and my bosses in Cricket Australia telling me a while ago they felt my time might've been up.
    "I can go on record again and say I have never received that sort of message from the selectors or from Cricket Australia."

    Ponting expressed his desire to travel to Bangladesh for three limited-overs matches next month. The team for the tour will not be named until Wednesday, but Ponting's announcement should allow Clarke to assume the captaincy on the tour, before difficult assignments against Sri Lanka and South Africa later in the year.

    On his arrival home from an unsuccessful World Cup defence, Ponting had said he was prepared to give up the captaincy and also move down the batting order if it was in the interests of the Australian team. With the benefit of a day's reflection, he decided that now was the best time to go. At 36, Ponting believed he can still enjoy the type of renaissance that has sustained Sachin Tendulkar in recent times.

    Ponting held the Australian Test and one-day captaincy since he took over from Steve Waugh. He led Australia in 77 Tests of which 48 were wins, the most for any captain. He also captained Australia in a record 228 ODIs and won 164, including two World Cups in 2003 and 2007. Ponting's fortunes as captain, however, waned along with those of the team as a series of retirements weakened its resources. His Test captaincy flamed out in the 3-1 home Ashes defeat in 2010-11 and his one-day reign ended with elimination from the World Cup.

    Monday, March 28, 2011

    Live Cricekt World Streaming: Sir Lanka Vs NewZealand

    Both of from are from Group A, which was meant to be the weaker of the two groups, and yet is the group that has produced 3 of the 4 semi finalists, and it could easily have been 4 had Australia won the close match against India. These two teams have met before in this World Cup, in the final group match, when Sri Lanka won by some 120 runs, to absolutely destroy New Zealand.

    There are a few patterns to look at. Firstly, Sri Lanka have never lost a World Cup knockout match in the subcontinent let alone at home. Secondly, Sri Lanka have made it to two finals before, winning one.

    New Zealand, while they are in their sixth semi final from 10 appearances, have never made it to the final. All of this suggests that Sri Lanka will win. Add to that the fact that Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by 120 runs in their previous encounter in this World Cup, in the final group match, and New Zealand don’t seem to have much of a chance.

    And yet New Zealand never seem to have much of a chance. They didn’t have any chance against South Africa, especially after getting such a low total, but they won that one. They didn’t have any chance against Pakistan, especially after losing early wickets and then scoring so slowly; but thanks to a Ross Taylor special they won that one too. New Zealand were meant to be a chance to miss the quarter finals yet here they are in the semi finals. They will think themselves some kind of a chance here.

    Saturday, March 26, 2011

    Sachin Will Have To Wait For 100 International Tons Says Afridi


    Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi predicted that Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar will have to wait until after the World Cup to reach the milestone of scoring 100 international centuries.Sachin will have to wait until after the World Cup for his 100th international century because we are not going to allow either him or any other Indian player to play a big innings," Afridi said.

    Tendulkar has been in prolific form in the World Cup and completed 18,000 runs in One-dayers in the previous game against Australia. He needs just one more hundred to complete 100 international centuries, the first by any batsman.

    Pakistan will take on India in the second semifinal of the World Cup to be held in Mohali on March 30 and Afridi said he was confident of his side beating India.It is a game of cricket and both teams can lay claim they will win the semi-final but given our current form I am confident we can beat India," Afridi said.

    Admitting that his team-mates wanted to face India in the semi-finals, the skipper said, "The players wanted this clash and we are looking forward to it.

     We know the expectations are high but at the end of the day I have told the players that the team, which controls and keeps its nerves in such a high tension match, will prevail.Afridi also felt that the pressure on India would be far more in the semi-final as compared to Pakistan, as they would be playing in front of their home crowd.Normally whenever both teams play there is great pressure because of the high expectations of the people but this time India are playing in front of their home crowd and the pressure will be greater on them," he said.

    Stating that his players were under no pressure because of the fact that Pakistan had never beaten India in a World Cup match before, Afridi said, "That is history and this team has a habit of changing history.

    More importantly the winning momentum we have got it allows the players to be better prepared for the big match.The flamboyant all-rounder also made it clear the players were not feeling the pressure of having to go and play in India after a gap of nearly four years"We have a young team and many of our players have not played in India before but it is not a problem for them because they have become used to playing even home matches abroad.

     I am confident they can handle the pressures of playing in India.Afridi, meanwhile, also appealed to the fans to treat this high-profile clash between the neighbours as just another cricket match.

    Proteas Crash And Burn In Cup Yet Again


    SOUTH Africa's World Cup jinx returned to haunt it on Friday in a stunning defeat to New Zealand as India and Pakistan's looming semi-final confrontation sparked a diplomatic and ticket frenzy.

    South Africa, chasing 222 to win in Dhaka, crumbled from 2-108 to 172 all out and lost by 49 runs to a never-say-die New Zealand side in an exciting finish in front of 23,000 fans at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium.

    Jacob Oram was New Zealand's man of the match with four wickets and two catches, while off-spinner Nathan McCullum sealed the Proteas' fate with 3-24 from 10 overs.

    Skipper Graeme Smith (28) and Jacques Kallis (47) put on 61 as South Africa moved to 2-108 by the 24th over, before the last eight wickets crashed for 64 runs.

    New Zealand, which has reached its sixth semi-final, will play the winner of last night's match between Sri Lanka and England in Colombo while South Africa, often regarded as the best team never to have won the World Cup, was left to lick its wounds.

    South Africa's World Cup record is now three semi-final defeats, two losses in the quarter-finals and once in the first round.

    ''There are no words to describe how I feel,'' said Smith, who has now played his last one-day international. ''We just have to take it on the chin. It was a very disappointing evening.

    ''Your guess is as good as mine [on their failure to progress. It's been happening since 1992. We just weren't good enough tonight, but we have to take it forward and not get bogged down.

    ''There will be a new coach and new captain. We are disappointed with tonight, and nothing I say is going to change that for fans back home.''

    New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori praised his team's spirit.

    ''Every single bowler stepped up today, and probably it was the fielding that got us through,'' he said.

    ''Once we got 220, we knew we had to be aggressive. We knew it was a tricky wicket and it was going to be an old-school one-day game.''

    Defending a modest total, New Zealand earned a lucky break in the first over of the innings when Hashim Amla tried to cut a ball from Nathan McCullum.
    The edged ball bounced off wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum's boot to Vettori in the slips.

    Smith and Kallis rallied the Proteas before the skipper cut Oram to point where substitute fielder Jamie How picked up a low catch in the 15th over.

    Kallis moved towards his half-century when, in an uncharacteristic rush of blood, he pulled seamer Tim Southee high to deep mid-wicket where Oram took a running catch.

    New Zealand then claimed two wickets in one over to reduce the rattled South Africans to 5-121 in 28 overs.

    JP Duminy was bowled by Nathan McCullum for three and A. B. de Villiers ran himself out after a mix-up with Faf du Plessis.

    The spot-on Oram tightened the screws further when he bowled Johan Botha and had Robin Peterson caught behind in successive overs. Du Plessis hit 36 at the end, but South Africa's slim hopes ended when he holed out in the covers off Oram.

    Meanwhile, India's semi-final duel with Pakistan sparked a cross-border diplomatic initiative and sent ticket prices soaring on the black market.
    India faces its arch-rival in Mohali on Wednesday in what will be Pakistan's first match in India since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

    ''India v Pakistan in semi-finals - it doesn't get better,'' said India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

    ''There will be more pressure on the Indian side and it will be from outside. People will say, 'Win the semis, we don't care about the final'.''
    Pakistan coach Waqar Younis admitted it would be ''awesome'' to take on India for a place in the final at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on April 2. ''There is no bigger rivalry in the game than that … it should be very exciting.''

    Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh intends to attend the match and has invited Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani to the game.

    Live Cricket World Streaming: SriLanka Vs New Zealand

    After a moment of uncertainty, co-hosts Sri Lanka qualified for the quarterfinals of this year's Cricket World Cup when they thrashed Zimbabwe by 139 runs and now the side will aim to carry forward their winning momentum when they face a resilient New Zealand side in Mumbai on the 18th.

    New Zealand has also made it to the quarterfinals after beating Canada by 97 runs. Their campaign so far has been a rather smooth one with the Kiwis winning four of their five games. When they face Sri Lanka on the 18th, it will be only the third time the Black Caps are pitted against a strong opponent in the tournament. The first time was with Australia, a game they lost without much fight. They however recovered quickly to thrash Pakistan and if they can repeat the same feat today, they will enter the quarterfinals on a high.

    Though New Zealand has breezed through so far, there are a few things that have got them worried. To start with, the return of their captain Daniel Vettori for the Sri Lanka game is still not certain and Kyle Mills is also out with a leg strain.

    But on the positive front, B. McCullum and Guptill have been in fine nick and Taylor has made a sensational return to form in the last two games. The Kiwi bowlers too have done a fair job and will be keen on putting their best foot forward in their crucial encounter against Sri Lanka.

    Sri Lanka on the other hand have not made a very convincing entry in the quarterfinals. Their first major test was against Pakistan and they crumbled. The next one was against Australia but the contest was washed out. So all eyes will be on the co-hosts as they face the Kiwis to see if they are really ready for the quarterfinals.

    The Lankans will be playing this match at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, unlike their previous matches that were held at home. So they might miss the home advantage they have enjoyed so far. But with Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan both making centuries in their last game, things are looking auspicious for the Lankans. Dilshan has also done well with the ball to further strenghten Sri Lanka's strong bowling lineup that comprises the likes of Malinga and Muralitharan. The only thing the Lankans need to improve is their fielding that was found wanting in their last match.

    ICC President Sharad Pawar Praises Bangladesh For Its Wonderful Hosting

     
    ICC President Sharad Pawar has praised Bangladesh for its hosting of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.Pawar, who was in attendance at the New Zealand-South Africa game on Friday, said:
     
     "It has been wonderful to experience the hospitality of the people of Bangladesh.I'd like to thank the Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, Finance Minister, Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Sports Minister, Ahad Ali Sarker, and the Government of Bangladesh for their support and cooperation in so successfully hosting the ICC Cricket World Cup opening ceremony and all of the matches in Bangladesh.
     
    "The manner in which the whole country has embraced the World Cup has been a joy to behold. The passion that the people of Bangladesh have for cricket is wonderful."I have also been very impressed with the facilities here in Dhaka. The Sher-e-Bangla Stadium is a world-class venue that all of Bangladesh should be proud of."All eight matches in Bangladesh were well-attended and even those that did not feature the home team were played out in front of big crowds.
     
    The people came in and appreciated the good performances and enjoyed the game."Immense credit must go to the President of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, AHM Mustapha Kamal, his team at the BCB, the Local Organising Committee, the Government of Bangladesh and, of course, the people of this beautiful country."An event of the scale of the ICC Cricket World Cup poses many logistical and operational challenges for host nations and I am pleased to say that the cricket community in Bangladesh has not merely met those challenges but has exceeded them.
     
    "I am sure cricket in Bangladesh has a positive and prosperous future and we look forward to returning to the country for the ICC Women's World Cup Qualifier later this year and the ICC World Twenty20 in 2014."

    Vettori Eyes big Win For Newzealand


    Outgoing one-day captain Graeme Smith, devastated by South Africa's sudden World Cup exit, has predicted the national team will quickly overcome their latest debacle.The Proteas collapsed from a winning position to hand New Zealand a dramatic 49-run victory in Friday's quarter-final at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in the Bangladesh capital.

    The Black Caps, restricted to 221-8 after taking first strike, bundled out South Africa for 172 after they were sailing merrily at 108-2 by the 24th over.South Africa, often regarded as the best team never to have won the World Cup, have now lost in three semi-finals, two quarter-finals and once in the first round.

    But Smith, who will stand down as one-day skipper but remain the leader in Test cricket, was confident the team will taste success again."This is an exciting period for South African cricket," he said. "We have the players and the talent.

     Hopefully in future we will go all the way."South Africa deserves to win the World Cup." Friday's defeat lent credence to the widespread belief that South Africa are cricket's biggest chokers, and Smith was at a loss to pinpoint the reason for the failure."It is really hard to describe what happened," said Smith, mystified by a World Cup record which shows South Africa having failed to win any knockout game in the tournament since their 1992 debut."Your guess is as good as mine. It's been happening since 1992. We just weren't good enough, but we have to take it forward and not get bogged down.

    "There will be a new coach and new captain. We are disappointed but nothing I say is going to change that for fans back home."Smith said his team threw away a great opportunity."We had the opportunity to close out the game after we kept them down to 221 and can only blame ourselves," he said. "We let ourselves down, we let our fans down."South Africa had topped the tough Group B with five wins from six matches in the league, but fell just when the pressure of a knock-out situation came along."I can't fault the way we played in the tournament," added Smith. "We trained hard and gave our best.

    "We certainly bowled well in this game, but New Zealand squeezed us when the ball became soft. We needed to show composure at that stage. It is difficult to recover on wickets like this." "One must give credit to New Zealand for the way they played," said Smith. "Ryder set up the 200 which I thought was very gettable. But they stuck to the task in the field."They certainly deserved to win."

    SouthAfrica Will Rise From Ashes, Says Smith


    Outgoing one-day captain Graeme Smith, devastated by South Africa's sudden World Cup exit, has predicted the national team will quickly overcome their latest debacle.The Proteas collapsed from a winning position to hand New Zealand a dramatic 49-run victory in Friday's quarter-final at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in the Bangladesh capital.

    The Black Caps, restricted to 221-8 after taking first strike, bundled out South Africa for 172 after they were sailing merrily at 108-2 by the 24th over.South Africa, often regarded as the best team never to have won the World Cup, have now lost in three semi-finals, two quarter-finals and once in the first round.But Smith, who will stand down as one-day skipper but remain the leader in Test cricket, was confident the team will taste success again."This is an exciting period for South African cricket," he said. "We have the players and the talent.

    Hopefully in future we will go all the way."South Africa deserves to win the World Cup." Friday's defeat lent credence to the widespread belief that South Africa are cricket's biggest chokers, and Smith was at a loss to pinpoint the reason for the failure."It is really hard to describe what happened," said Smith, mystified by a World Cup record which shows South Africa having failed to win any knockout game in the tournament since their 1992 debut."Your guess is as good as mine. It's been happening since 1992. We just weren't good enough, but we have to take it forward and not get bogged down.

    "There will be a new coach and new captain. We are disappointed but nothing I say is going to change that for fans back home."Smith said his team threw away a great opportunity."We had the opportunity to close out the game after we kept them down to 221 and can only blame ourselves," he said. "We let ourselves down, we let our fans down."South Africa had topped the tough Group B with five wins from six matches in the league, but fell just when the pressure of a knock-out situation came along.

    "I can't fault the way we played in the tournament," added Smith.

     "We trained hard and gave our best."We certainly bowled well in this game, but New Zealand squeezed us when the ball became soft. We needed to show composure at that stage. It is difficult to recover on wickets like this." "One must give credit to New Zealand for the way they played," said Smith. "Ryder set up the 200 which I thought was very gettable. But they stuck to the task in the field."They certainly deserved to win."

    Trott And Morgan Give England A Decent 229/6


     Butter-fingered Sri Lanka crawled back in the batting powerplay as Jonathan Trott's fighting 86 and a chancy 50 by Eoin Morgan took England to a decent 229 for six in their World Cup quarterfinal at the R Premadasa stadium here Saturday.
    Trott and Morgan (50 off 55 balls), who got three lives, added 91 runs for the fourth wicket and England were looking good to reach a score of 250-plus. But their progress was halted by the batting powerplay they took in the 43rd over. England lost two wickets and could score only 23 runs.

    Electing to bat, England made a cautious start and only 17 runs came in the first five overs and 32 in the mandatory powerplay of 10 overs.

    With three frontline spinners in the side, skipper Sangakkara chose to bowl part-timer Tillakaratne Dilshan to share the new ball with Lasith Malinga.

    Dilshan troubled England captain Andrew Strauss (5) with his quickish spin, though Ian Bell (25), who replaced Matt Prior at the top of the batting order, appeared comfortable as he rotated strike and even struck a four each off Malinga and Angelo Mathews.

    Strauss, who has been in good form in the tournament, threw his wicket away unable to cope with Dilshan's restrictive line and length and was bowled going for a reckless heave.

    Trott, England's mainstay in the tournament, then added 64 runs with Ravi Bopara (31) for the third wicket.

    Muttiah Muralitharan (2 for 54), who is playing his swansong international tournament, was introduced immediately after the drinks in the 19th over amid huge cheers from the crowd. He struck to dismiss Bopara who missed a full toss sweeping to be lbw.

    Trott and Morgan then dug in even as the three Sri Lankan spinners made life difficult for them. But the good work of the bowlers was undone by some sloppy fielding.

    Morgan was dropped thrice. Thilan Samaraweera put down a sitter at deep point off Ajantha Mendis when he was at 17.

    Muralitharan, too, felt the heat of poor fielding. First Mathews and then Rangana Herath dropped Morgan in the 39th over.

    Mathews dropped the easiest of catches when he fumbled at deep cover. A ball later Herath could not hold onto a Morgan slice at backward point and Muralitharan was livid.

    England were 182/3 when they took the powerplay and immediately lost two wickets.

    Morgan tried to clear the covers off Malinga but this time Mathews made no mistake.

    Graeme Swann was out the very first ball he faced, going for a reverse sweep and Mendis (1-34) won the appeal for lbw. It made one wonder why England thought it wise to send Swann when an explosive batsman like Luke Wright was padded up.

    The two wickets arrested the run flow and Sri Lanka, having got their grip back in the match, succeeded in slowing things down.

    When Trott hit Herath for a four in the 48th over, it was a boundary that came after 50 balls.

    Trott was out in the next over trying to clear the boundary off Muralitharan and Mahela Jayawardene judged the catch in the deep nicely.

    Trott struck only two fours in his 115-ball innings, but held the England innings together.

    Matt Prior made 22 off 19 balls as England managed to get past 200 and in the end they managed just about enough runs to make a match of it.