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New Zealand won by 9 runs  
43.2 Harris to Muralitharan, one run, cheeky! floated up, held back in
terms of pace, Murali waits for it, dabbing it just down behind
point, very tight single taken, Nevin darts in but his diving
throw fails to hit direct and Jayawardene is home
43.3 Harris to Jayawardene, two runs, valuable runs! shorter ball
outside off stump, Jayawardene gives himself room, punching it
away through the covers, the sweeper sliding around in the deep to
field
43.4 Harris to Jayawardene, two runs, and more runs! bad over from
Harris so far, drifts full and too straight, clipped fine off the
legs for another easy two
43.5 Harris to Jayawardene, no run, floated up full and straight on off
stump, comes forward, driving strongly back down the pitch on the
leg side, Harris does well to dive to his right and stop it
43.6 Harris to Jayawardene, no run, floated up outside off stump, pushes
out at it, edging fine low to the ground, can't get it past a good
diving stop at short third man


End of over 44 (6 runs) Sri Lanka 134/8 (RR: 3.05 RRR: 23/6 = 3.83)

CZ Harris 9-2-30-1 (2nb) - Scoreboard End
M Muralitharan 2* (13b) DPMD Jayawardene 36* (89b 1x4)

good over for Sri Lanka, just 23 needed off 36 balls now
44.1 Vettori to Muralitharan, two runs, bonus runs for Sri Lanka, well
flighted ball goes straight on off stump, Murali edges it wide of
slip and fine of backward point, a chase towards third man, easy
two on offer, 21 off 35 needed
44.2 Vettori to Muralitharan, no run, flighted up, stretches well
forward in defence as it goes straight on, drops down in close on
the leg side from the pad, just the two men behind the wicket half
shout for lbw, bowler disinterested
44.3 Vettori to Muralitharan, no run, well flighted outside off stump
and turning away, left well alone through to the keeper
44.4 Vettori to Muralitharan, no run, delivers from much wider on the
crease, gives it tons of air, drifting on leg stump, comfortably

defended down in close on the leg side
44.5 Vettori to Muralitharan, OUT: oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear,
oh dear, Murali has a brain explosion of the atomic kind ... two
balls to see off and he can't help himself, tosses it up very
invitingly, goes for a huge shot down the ground but fails to get
enough oomph

Sri Lanka 136/9, Partnership of 15
M Muralitharan c Mills b Vettori 4 (18b 0x4 0x6)
DPMD Jayawardene 36* (89b 1x4) DL Vettori 9.5-4-14-4

on it, skying it straight down to the eagerly awaiting hands of
Mills at deepish mid on
the game swings back New Zealand's way emphatically with that
crucial bowl, with 21 still required and 31 balls left
Prabath Nissanka is the final batsman to the crease, at the non-

striker's end as the batsmen crossed during the catch
44.6 Vettori to Jayawardene, no run, well flighted up just outside off
stump, Jayawardene desperately tries to lap it away for a single
to retain the strike but misses, slides straight on into the pad,
pleading appeal for lbw from bowler and keeper but umpire Taufel
can't be convinced,


End of over 45 (2 runs) Sri Lanka 136/9 (RR: 3.02 RRR: 21/5 = 4.20)

DL Vettori 10-4-14-4 - Press Box End
RAP Nissanka 0* (0b) DPMD Jayawardene 36* (90b 1x4)

struck outside the line
45.1 Harris to Nissanka, no run, oh what a ball! floated up on off
stump, drifting in then grips, turning past the probing outside
edge, somehow also missing the off bail too
45.2 Harris to Nissanka, one run, quicker ball drifting into the pads,
manages to squirt it away off the legs behind square for a quick
run, does well to give the strike back to the recognised batsman
45.3 Harris to Jayawardene, no run, floated up full outside off stump,

props well forward, defending down in close on the off side
45.4 Harris to Jayawardene, no run, flat ball just outside off stump,
frees the arms to pat it firmly behind point, can't quite get it

past a good diving save by Vincent, sends Nissanka back to the

bowler's end as the throw is fired back in
45.5 Harris to Jayawardene, no run, floated up nicely, drifting into the

pads, props well forward, defending down at his feet, into the
pitch
45.6 Harris to Jayawardene, one run, fine over from Harris is slightly
spoiled by failing to keep Jayawardene off strike for the next
over, the batsman using his feet well to get over the top of a
full, straight ball, driving down to long on


End of over 46 (2 runs) Sri Lanka 138/9 (RR: 3.00 RRR: 19/4 = 4.75)

CZ Harris 10-2-32-1 (2nb) - Scoreboard End
DPMD Jayawardene 37* (94b 1x4) RAP Nissanka 1* (2b)

19 to win, 24 balls left, and the slow bowlers have now bowled out
New Zealand have to juggle 2 overs from Styris, and 1 each from
Tuffey and Mills (the likely combination), with Tuffey getting a
bad reputation for being pummelled at the death in close
situations, and Mills relatively expensive today, still not over
yet
but it'll be Mills to come back first, suggesting the balance of
overs between he and Styris is not yet decided
46.1 Mills to Jayawardene, no run, fullish ball just outside off stump,

quietly defended down in close on the off side, 19 off 23 needed
46.2 Mills to Jayawardene, no run, now Jayawardene looks to play his
shots as the equation gets tighter, slightly wider on a similar
length outside off stump, goes back outside leg to free the arms
but cuts and misses, through to the keeper, 19 off 22 needed
46.3 Mills to Jayawardene, one run, great fielding! shorter ball outside
off stump, cuts down just behind point, Fleming does superbly to
fling himself to his right at gully, stopping it, but can't

prevent a quick single taken as he throws wide at the bowler's end
18 off 21 needed now
46.4 Mills to Nissanka, one run, Nissanka does well! fullish ball
drifting into the legs, clips it away down to long leg, picking
off a vital single and gets Jayawardene back on strike, 17 off 20
to win
46.5 Mills to Jayawardene, no run, oooh, fullish and wide outside off
stump, slash and a miss through to the keeper, lucky to get away
with that was Mills, 17 off 19 needed
46.6 Mills to Jayawardene, no run, excellent way to finish the over from
Mills, keeps Jayawardene cramped up as he jumps down the track

trying to work a single to retain the strike, forced to defend
back to the bowler


End of over 47 (2 runs) Sri Lanka 140/9 (RR: 2.98 RRR: 17/3 = 5.67)

KD Mills 7-1-30-1 (2w 2nb) - Press Box End
RAP Nissanka 2* (3b) DPMD Jayawardene 38* (99b 1x4)

17 need off 18 balls, the No 11 on strike, it's crunch time now,
who said low-scoring games were boring?

Styris returns, replacing Harris at the Scoreboard End
47.1 Styris to Nissanka, three runs, oh boy! he who dares wins! fullish
ball outside off stump, drives and gets a thick outside edge,
*just* flies over the leaping man at gully, down towards the wide
third man boundary, Mills slides around to stop it as they
scramble back for a third
a bit of relief for Sri Lanka, equation loosens and top batsman
back on strike, 14 off 17 needed
47.2 Styris to Jayawardene, bye: three runs, oh boy, fair slower ball,
an off break, turns from off stump just down the leg side,
deflecting off the leg, Tuffey desperately stops it inside the
rope but three more, the umpire signals byes instead of leg byes
though, 11 off 16 needed
47.3 Styris to Nissanka, no run, shorter ball wider outside off stump,
tries to run it away just behind square, plays and misses through
to the keeper, 11 off 15 needed
47.4 Styris to Nissanka, no run, oooh! lovely fullish ball just outside
off stump, dabbles at it, well beaten through to the keeper, 11
off 14 needed
47.5 Styris to Nissanka, one run, and more runs through edges! every run
counts now, fullish ball outside off stump, squirts it away down
to third man, 10 off 13 needed
47.6 Styris to Jayawardene, no run, tight shortish ball on off stump,
Jayawardene does his darndest to shuffles outside leg to try and
run it away fine for a single but steers it straight to backward
point where Harris fields


End of over 48 (7 runs) Sri Lanka 147/9 (RR: 3.06 RRR: 10/2 = 5.00)

SB Styris 9-0-30-1 (1w) - Scoreboard End
RAP Nissanka 6* (7b) DPMD Jayawardene 38* (101b 1x4)

10 needed, 12 balls left, 1 wicket in hand, it's going right down
to the wire
Mills to bowl his 8th (and last) over, and if it goes to the 50th
over, it's going to be a huge decision for Fleming - Styris or
Tuffey to bowl it - knowing Tuffey's problems in the past
48.1 Mills to Nissanka, no run, good ball! shortish lifting ball outside
off stump, tries to run it down to third man, plays and misses
through to the keeper, 10 off 11 needed
48.2 Mills to Nissanka, no run, and another, fuller ball angling in from

wider on the crease, right on off stump, watchfully defends from
the crease back on the off side of the pitch to Mills, 10 off 10
needed!
48.3 Mills to Nissanka, no run, great bowling! similar line, angling in,

beats Nissanka all ends up as he's opened up, through to the
keeper just past off stump, 10 off 9 needed now!
48.4 Mills to Nissanka, no run, oh boy, Nissanka edgy now! fuller and
wider outside off stump, has a big swish and misses once more,
through to the keeper, 10 off 8 needed
48.5 Mills to Nissanka, no run, Mills continues his excellent last over,
fullish ball outside off stump, Nissanka this time elects to hold
the bat inside the line to leave it through to the keeper, after
instruction from Jayawardene
a slip in place for the final two balls of the over

48.6 Mills to Nissanka, no run, great over comes to an end, a maiden, as

Mills angles in on off stump, defends straight back to the bowler


End of over 49 (maiden) Sri Lanka 147/9 (RR: 3.00 RRR: 10/1 = 10.00)

KD Mills 8-2-30-1 (2w 2nb) - Press Box End
DPMD Jayawardene 38* (101b 1x4) RAP Nissanka 6* (13b)

10 needed off the final over, and Fleming entrusts it to Styris, a
big moment for him - the winner is straight through to the final,
the loser will have a nervous day resting on the result tomorrow
(particularly if it's Sri Lanka, as New Zealand can
control their own destiny still, against Pakistan), a tie is enough
for Sri Lanka
49.1 Styris to Jayawardene, OUT: can you believe it! Jayawardene has a
similar brain explosion to Murali's, and it loses Sri Lanka the
game! he goes for a bold reverse sweep, but it's a dead straight
ball, hurrying on to him, and skies it straight to Harris at
backward point

Sri Lanka 147/10, Partnership of 11
DPMD Jayawardene c Harris b Styris 38 (102b 1x4 0x6)
RAP Nissanka 6* (13b) SB Styris 9.1-0-30-2 (1w)

New Zealand run out victors in a thrilling game by nine runs, and
are straight into Friday's final, and now Sri Lanka have to wait
on the result of tomorrow's New Zealand-Pakistan match to see
whether they will join them
or be shut out of their own tri-series - they need New Zealand to
do them a favour now, by beating Pakistan, otherwise it's a New
Zealand-Pakistan final
this is a record defence in a One-Day International for New Zealand
in a full 50-over match, beating their previous record of 158 (a
4-run win) against the West Indies at Georgetown in 1995/96, a
remarkable effort
it also represents a record for Sri Lanka, in the opposite vein,
having never failed to chase a total lower than 179 before in a
full 50-over match (that occasion being a 79-run loss to India at
Sharjah in 1998/99
a few candidates for Man of the Match, but the likely winner will
be Vettori, who turned this game on its head after taking 3-3 in
his first 5 overs, bowling magnificently and extracting everything
he could out of the extremely helping conditions
his final figures of 4-14 represented a career-best in ODIs for
him, beating his previous effort of 4-24 against the West Indies
at Taupo in 1999/00

but one can't forget the great hand played by Brendon McCullum
earlier, scoring an unbeaten 47 in excellent time - thanks to some
lusty strikes at the death after building very slowly initially,
after coming in with New Zealand in a dire predicament
to get them back from a position of 107/6 after 45 overs to muster
a modest 156/8 gave them something to bowl out, and give
themselves an outside chance it they broke through the Sri Lankan
top order quickly enough
as it so happened, the home side got off to a bright and breezy
start, and despite the loss of a couple of wickets, were looking
well set as Mills in particular was punished
but the Black Caps kept chipping away and the earlier wayward Mills

ending up playing a great role in the middle and death overs to up
the pressure
this is the second game in two days here which has been won by a
margin of fewer than 13 runs, despite two pretty mediocre scores
being posted - a testament to the terrible batting conditions in
Dambulla
if it's not seaming about and bouncing early on, it's gripping and
turning sharply for the rest of the innings, giving batting sides
very little opportunity to gain any sort of momentum if the
bowling is on the spot
we've still had just the one individual half century in this
tournament, and that was in game one - and took well over 100
balls to get, too! no batsman is even close to threatening 100
runs for the whole tournament yet
and no team has managed to post 200, either, with only Pakistan
coming close with 199 in the first match - it's a bowler's
tournament and none moreso than Muttiah Muralitharan, who now has
13 wickets in 4 matches here
we apologise profusely for the delay in coverage, it was a
technical matter out of our control - trust a core Internet router
to go down with one over to go in a thrilling ODI! there's a Mr
Murphy out there somewhere chuckling right now, we're sure
Daniel Vettori has been named Man of the Match, predictably, a
wonderful effort that has fired New Zealand to a rare appearance
in a one-day tri-series final, in recent times at least, and doing
it with a game in hand, no less, though they will be the
first to admit that their cricket is far from perfect at present,
having done well to win two from three through a combination of

grit, determination, nous and a bit of never-say-die spirit
they have never won a tri-series of any description before, having
played in upwards of three dozen such tournaments, and appeared in
about a dozen finals without success - their only multi-team
tournament success coming in the 11-team ICC KnockOut in
Kenya in 2000/01
that wraps up our coverage for the match, please join us again
tomorrow at 10am local time (0400 GMT) for New Zealand v Pakistan,
until then it's goodbye from Wisden CricInfo
any comments about today's coverage can be sent to
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