T20 World Cup match 3 vs. Ireland:
New Zealand:
J.How
B.McCullum(wk)
J.Ryder
P.Fulton
G.Elliott
J.Oram
S.Styris
D.Vettori(c)
J.Franklin(2)
S.Bond(1)
D.Tuffey
No changes.
Sri Lanka:
K.Sangakkara
S.Jayasuriya
M.Jayawardene
A.Matthews
T.Dilshan
C.Silva
N.Kulasakera
T.Thushura
A.Mendis
M.Muralitharan
L.Malinga
Toss:
NZ won and we're batting first.
Match:
New Zealand:132/6 in 20 overs
P.Fulton 48(42)
J.Oram 41*(36)
T.Thushura 3/37(4 overs)
L.Malinga 1/26(4 overs)
Sri Lanka:116 all out in 18.5 overs
M.Jayawardene 38*(25)
K.Sangakkara 29(27)
G.Elliott 3/13(4 overs)
D.Tuffey 3/22(3.5 overs)
Result:
New Zealand win by 16 runs.
MOTM:
Grant Elliott(3/13 & 1)
Reaction:
Lanka's bowlers quickly pegged me back with How for 3 and McCullum for 2.
Ryder fell quickly for 18 and Elliott for just 1 left Oram with Fulton at 29 for 4.
Then it just accelarated over the middle and later stages of the innings,taking a fast in swinger and a diving catch down legside by Sangakkara to remove Fulton.
Styris and Vettori added a few quick runs but the bulk of the work was done by Fulton and Oram.
It was a solid,if slow, start for Lanka as Sangakkara and Jayasuriya controlled the bowling,It wasn't until a change in the bowling saw both go in consecutive overs after a solid 50 partnership.
Jayawardene and co looked like destroying the advantage we'd got in those two overs until I played my surprise card, return of the deadly bowling of Elliott!!!:laugh
However funny that comment may seem it was quite accurate,Elliott quickly returning Matthews,Silva and Kulasakera to the pavilion.
He bowling well in tandem with Franklin who took Dilshan and Mendis,leaving it to Tuffey to clean up the tail with help from a run out.
However,despite my win here and equal points with both England and Lanka,my run rate is lower and therefore,we're out of the T20 cup.
Next up is a tour of T20 cup champions:Sri Lanka!(Yes they won it in the end.)