Story World Cup 1992 - played as T20: Match 3 ENGLAND V SRI LANKA

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Match 1 - Australia (AI) v New Zealand (Me) at WACA

New Zealand bat first and quickly slump to 8/3 after 2.3 overs. Crowe and Rutherford steady the ship and more importantly increase the run rate both playing some delightful drives as they reach 3/43 at the 6 over mark and the end of the fielding restrictions. Rutherford falls almost immediately after but Harris sticks around with his captain who dominates a stand of 29. Smith is then the victim of a calamitous run out to leave the innings in danger of petering out on 81/6 and Crowe, 44*, needing support. He finds that support from Cairns, who races to 19 before Crowe reaches his deserved 50, a fine captain's knock. But as it looks as this pair will build an imposing score, Cairns plays on against Reid for 23 (off just 11 balls) to leave the score 110/7 in the 16th over. The innings loses impetus as the remaining wickets fall, Crowe last man out for 60. New Zealand dismissed for 128 off 18.2 overs.

It doesn't look enough as Boon and Marsh race to 20/0 off 2 overs. Cairns responds with a fine 3rd over, just 2 off it, and in the next over Patel spins one past Boon to clean up his stumps. After scoring 20/0 off 12 balls, the next 10 balls have gone for 7/1 as the Kiwis come back into the game. Dean Jones hits a big 6 in Cairns' next over, but trying another big shot 2 balls later just picks out Rutherford in the deep, and disaster strikes when Marsh finds Wright at deep backward square leg off the very next ball. Border survives the hat trick ball and runs a cheeky single. The Aussie captain looks like he is determined to match his counterpart's effort, hitting some big strikes to keep Australia in contention. However he is undermined by wickets falling continually at the other end, as Moody, both Waughs, and Ian Healy all fall hitting out as the Aussies slump to 63/7, William Watson doing the damage with a phenomenal spell of 3-8 in 3 overs. Unable to save a lost cause, Border tamely chips Harris to cover to go for 19: Australia 64/8 and facing humiliation. Taylor and McDermott have a strong stand of 29 including some fine striking of the ball before Patel returns to bowl McDermott. Reid then supports Taylor as Australia - never in with a shout of winning - at least avoid being bowled out as they reach 112/9 off their 20 overs.

New Zealand win by 16 runs. MOTM: Geoff Crowe (60 off 48).

 

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Match 2 - India (AI) vs Pakistan (Me) at the Gabba

Pakistan bat first, and start well - 20/0 off 2 overs. Srinath pegs them back with 2 wickets in the 3rd over but still concedes 8 runs. Fazal, in partnership with first Miandad and then Malik keeps impetus in the innings as Pakistan reach 81/3 at the half way stage. Fazal and Malik carry on, seemingly setting Pakistan for a huge score. A tight 14th over from Jadeja (just 4 off it) helps apply the brakes, and Raju dismisses Fazal for 38 off the first ball of the 15th over, ending the partnership on 49. Captain Imran Khan goes the very next ball, with Pakistan now 105/5 and in danger of throwing away their fine start: Raju's over eventually going for just 1 run as well as taking the 2 vital wickets.

Wasim Akram grabs the momentum back for his side with a brutal 18 off 9 balls, but goes to his 10th ball as he can only pick out Jadeja in the deep off the bowling of Prabhakar. Malik and Haider also fall, and Pakistan start the final over on 132/8. Moin Khan smashes 14 off the first 4 balls, before getting into a tangle on the 5th and popping a catch to mid-off. The final ball is a dot leaving Pakistan on 146/9 at the end of the 20. 38 apiece for Fazal and Malik being the bedrock of the innings, and the quickfire hitting of Akram and Moin Khan getting them up to a competitive total when they were in danger of losing their way. Raju the pick of the bowlers with an economical 2-23 and Prabhakar's 3-31 kept pegging Pakistan back with vital wickets.

The much vaunted India batting line up never find their way, slumping to 10/2 after 2 overs. Srikkanth and Kambli stop the rot, but Kambli especially takes some time to get going and they are always behind the rate. As they try to increase the scoring, Srikkanth can only pick out Malik at deep square leg off the bowling of Mushtaq Ahmed to go for 22 off 15. This brings together the two highly-rated Indian youngsters, with Tendulkar coming to the crease to join the well-set Kambli: can they get India back into the game?

No... they still struggle to score at anything like the required rate and Kambli falls caught behind in Mushtaq's next over, also for 22 but having taken 26 deliveries for them. Manjrekar falls to Imran caught behind, and Tendulkar picks out Malik in the deep for another fine catch, this time of Aaquib Javed. Kiran More falls first ball also to Javed, and Manoj Prabhakar for another golden duck bowled behind his legs for Mushtaq's 3rd wicket. India are 71/8 off 12.1 overs and in danger of being bowled out for under 100 against their biggest rivals.

Kapil Dev and Javagal Srinath help them avoid that terrible fate, and in fact they don't lose any more wickets in the innings, although never anywhere near the required rate. Kapil Dev scores and unbeaten 31 and Srinath 20* as they reach 115/8.

Pakistan win by 31 runs. MOTM Mushtaq Ahmed 3-22

 

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Match 3 - England v Sri Lanka at the Bay Oval

On a substandard pitch, Sri Lanka start slowly, they then collapse from 32/1 to 37/4, before a minor rally from Hasan Tillekeratne and captain Aravinda De Silva. But when they both fall, Dermot Reeve then mops up the tail, finishing the innings with a double-wicket maiden to dismiss Sri Lanka for just 78 in 16 overs.

England's reply gets off to an appalling start as they slump to 9/4. Stewart and Botham stop the rot a little, but Stewart falls with score now 23/5. Lewis also falls cheaply, and Pringle goes for a duck, leaving England 36/7 and Botham 20* needing support. Reeve hits 7 from his first 3 balls, perhaps he and Botham can pull this out the bag for England: 36 needed from 9 overs with 3 wickets left.

But no... Reeve is out to his 4th ball, as Anusiri - who's first over was a wicket maiden - has now taken 2 wickets without conceding a run. Although he concedes a 2 from Defraitas, he gets the England bowler with the last ball of the over, to have the astonishing figures of 3-2 off 2 overs. Last man Illingworth joins Botham, the talismanic all rounder on strike well set with 20 off 23, 8 overs left to get 34...

But it's all over next ball, as Jayasuriya bowls Beefy to give the Sri Lankans a comprehensive 33 run victory!

(you'll have to forgive me I deleted the beginning of both innings somehow!)

Sri Lanka win by 33 runs. MOTM: Dermot Reeve (4-10).