Vettori and Fulton lead rout

A sizzling 71-run eighth-wicket partnership helped New Zealand shrug off a start-stop batting effort, enabling them to seal a comprehensive 129-run win against Ireland at the Providence Stadium in Guyana. With this victory, New Zealand were all but assured of a place in the semi-finals and just one win in the next three games - against South Africa, Australia and Sri Lanka - would gain their last-four spot.

Ireland turned in a sterling bowling performance on a pitch which was a good one for batting. Their medium-pacers nagged away before the offspinners continued the good work in the middle stages. It was only in the last three overs when the wheels came off, as Brendon McCullum and James Franklin clattered 45. Chasing 264, Ireland's batsmen began sluggishly and, barring a 75-run stand between the O'Brien brothers, couldn't put up much of a fight.

McCullum's 37-ball 47 was the knock that changed the complexion of the game. Entering at 172 for 5, after New Zealand lost Peter Fulton, he pinched singles and twos before launching into the boundaries. Franklin provided him good company, striking three fours and a six and Ireland's disciplined work for most of the innings went to pieces.

Fulton's was a cautious knock, and an essential one with the rest of the top order falling to poor shot selection. Standing upright and using his reach to full effect, he was decisive with his footwork: getting fully forward or fully back and effecting some meaty drives and pulls. He found the gaps easily and picked off singles between the boundaries. He wasn't frustrated into any errors, despite the bowlers maintaining a tight line.

Ireland indeed produced a superb bowling effort. Opening bowler Dave Langford-Smith bowled a fine spell of military medium, on a pitch tailor-made for attacking batting, while Kyle McCallan and Andrew White, the two offspinners, snared two wickets each. All of them were supported by athletic fielding, Eoin Morgan and wicketkeeper Niall O'Brien picking off sharp catches. Hamish Marshall and Scott Styris chased wide deliveries that were moving away. Stephen Fleming committed a similar error against Boyd Rankin while Craig McMillan, who entered in an aggressive frame of mind, paid for a loose slash against McCallan.

Even an aggressive batsman like Jacob Oram couldn't break away, nudging his way to 20 off 48 deliveries. He tried to be innovative, with reverse-paddles and cheeky deflections, but holed out trying to loft over long-on. Fulton fell a little earlier, trying to sweep one that was too full, but New Zealand showed their lower-order muscle with McCullum and Franklin making amends for the top-order showing.

Shane Bond's early double-strike set the tone for New Zealand's dominance with the ball. Ireland needed a rapid start if they harboured hopes of overhauling the target but Bond's incisive spell thwarted them early. Bond struck in his first over, striking the splice of Jeremy Bray's bat going for a drive. It was a lethal delivery, pitched on middle and shaping away and kissed the edge en route to the wicketkeeper. William Porterfield was rattled by a short one and his attempted pull was well collected by Styris, running back from the slip cordon.

The O'Brien brothers settled the nerves a bit. There were just three fours in the first 15 overs, with the batsmen trying to play out Bond, but Kevin O'Brien batted confidently as his innings progressed. He cracked three towering sixes in his 49 and appeared to be set to launch a determined counterattack. That's when a messy run-out undid Ireland. Niall, his brother, who has been in fine form throughout this tournament, pottered around for 75 deliveries for 30 but a crucial error of judgment ended Kevin's fine knock. Patting one to the off side in the 29th over, Niall took off for a single but stopped after taking a few strides. Kevin was too far down the track by then and an accurate throw from Marshall ended the steadying partnership.

None of the others crossed 20 and Daniel Vettori mopped up the tail in truly efficient fashion. He varied his speed delightfully and none of the tailenders had much of a clue against his speedy darts from around the wicket. He accounted for four of the last six wickets - his offspinning partner Jeetan Patel snared the other two - as Ireland collapsed from 110 for 3 to 134 all out. They will now prepare for the clash against Australia on Friday the 13th, which promises to be a stiffer challenge than this one.

Smart Ponting guides Australia home

Ricky Ponting's 86 was the major feature for Australia as they completed a seven-wicket win against England in Antigua with 16 balls to spare. The result virtually assured them of a semi-final berth and left their rivals clinging on by their fingernails. Kevin Pietersen's fourth ODI ton, like his other three, came in a losing cause, with Australia's three frontline pacemen responding to Ponting's clever captaincy as the innings fell away dramatically.

While Pietersen and Bell were adding 140 in 23 overs Australia were being challenged for the first time since South Africa's opening stand in St Kitts. Like they did on that occasion, they passed the test with flying colours. A mixture of Shaun Tait's raw pace and Glenn McGrath's craft instigated a collapse of 8 for 83, which left Pietersen needing to rebuild rather than hit out. Although he reached his century from 117 balls, his first in 33 innings since taking on South Africa at Centurion Park, there was a sense of it being in vain even before Australia's chase.

If England were to put pressure on Australia's batting, which included Brad Hodge at No. 7, they needed to reprise the early wickets they secured at the tail-end of the CB Series. But Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist both survived close lbw shouts early on to add 57. Andrew Flintoff, rekindling his round-the-wicket approach to Gilchrist, had him caught at point, but Ponting quickly settled with an elegantly lofted drive off Monty Panesar.

The one passage where England managed a modicum of control coincided with Paul Collingwood's first-ball dismissal of Hayden for a bullying 41. As Ponting and Michael Clarke assessed the situation the required rate climbed to 5.8, but the Australians were just pacing themselves. The 30-over drinks break signalled the victory charge as the gamble of returning to Mahmood failed and one over cost 13. Ponting's fifty took 69 balls and he showed his emotion with a fist punch towards the dressing room. He wasn't going to let England back in a match he'd had a key role in wrestling from their grasp.

Ponting opened up until he was brilliantly run-out by Collingwood as he went halfway for a run and decided against it. Clarke, though, overcame a sluggish start and took over the senior role, after adding 112 with his captain, while Andrew Symonds added the finishing flourishes. Despite his brief innings, there was one shot from Symonds that left everyone jumping for the law book. He launched Collingwood out to midwicket and Pietersen held a fine running catch, but his momentum carried him over the rope and in releasing the ball he was ruled not to be in control of his actions. Australia, though, were in complete control of their movements.

It meant England, even after producing the one century-maker of the match, were left to rue another batting display that imploded from a near-perfect platform. A rapid Tait dispatched Vaughan and Andrew Strauss via bottom edges, but Bell produced his most commanding one-day innings for England. He wasn't afraid to go over the top, taking three fours in four balls off McGrath. Pietersen's first rematch with the man who broke his rib at the MCG in January went the batsman's way but, possibly for the final time in his career against England, McGrath had the final say, removing Bell for 77.

Ponting managed his limited resources expertly and took a leaf out of Mahela Jayawardene's book by delaying the final Powerplay. With England 146 for 2 after 26 overs, the prime time for some reverse-swing, Ponting opted to use the restrictions. Tait immediately made the ball shape, but it was McGrath who struck as Bell fell between 50 and 88 for the tenth time.

When Collingwood edged one which held its line and Flintoff was beaten by Brad Hogg's wrong'un, England had lost three key men for 15 runs in six overs. Although Pietersen had for once survived the collapse, having earlier been dropped on 50 and 63, including a sitter by Hayden at mid-off, scoring became difficult.

Ravi Bopara helped add 51 for the sixth wicket, but he couldn't repeat the flowing strokeplay of his Sri Lankan effort, and the late acceleration never came. McGrath and Nathan Bracken were miserly at the death as the closing overs were all Australia's, barring Pietersen, who enjoyed reaching his ton with a typically flamboyant celebration. However, it was Australia who could smile at the end as their World Cup marched on.

Fernando holds his nerve to seal a thriller

Sri Lanka's slick professionalism in the field, and Dilhara Fernando's composure in the final over, earned them a nail biting win over England in Antigua. Though Sri Lanka only compiled a relatively modest 236, England's middle-order fell away meekly before a thrilling fightback from Paul Nixon and Ravi Bopara dragged down the required total to just 12 from the final over. It was two too many.

Fernando was thrown the ball for the final over, but his second ball was paddled - quite brilliantly - over short fine-leg by Bopara for four. Seven needed from four balls, but Bopara's crunching drive couldn't pierce the covers, picking up just two - enough, though, to register his first one-day fifty. A single off the fourth ball; another off the fifth but, with three needed from the final ball, Fernando cleaned up Bopara to end a memorable match. That England even got into a winning position owed much to Nixon, whose crafty 42 at a run-a-ball took them out of the woods and into the clearing.

Just an hour or so earlier, the match was England's for the taking, however. Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen were cruising along in their commanding third-wicket stand of 90, regaining the momentum after losing Michael Vaughan and Ed Joyce cheaply. Pietersen, inevitably, took the game by the scruff, asserting his authority on Lasith Malinga with a front-footed pull and a fierce slap through the covers. Once he had lofted Chaminda Vaas for an effortless six, Pietersen was in complete control of proceedings.

Bell was less certain - although, next to Pietersen, most batsmen are. But he too found his fluency, clipping two fours off one Vaas over, one behind square and the other threaded through covers, before Sanath Jayasuriya affected a cruel run out. Pietersen pushed it back to the bowler who deflected it via his fingertips onto the non-striker's stumps. Bell appeared to ground his bat but replays showed it had lifted by a few millimetres. It was a stroke of fortune Sri Lanka needed, and they capitalised brilliantly.

Pietersen brought up an uncharacteristically sedate 74-ball 50 - before the magician, Muttiah Muralitharan, was brought on. His spell began quietly before he tossed down a doosra to Pietersen who, trying to work it to leg, got a leading edge ballooning it back to Murali. It was his 28th caught-and-bowled and with Pietersen departing at 126 for 4, England's hopes sunk. Andrew Flintoff scratched around for a couple of overs, skying Fernando's slower ball to Malinga at mid-on. And Collingwood ended what little hope of victory England had when he was trapped in front two balls later.

Enter Nixon, reverse-sweeping with furious intent, if not great success initially, nurdling singles with relative ease. An old head needed young legs though - and Nixon was joined by Bopara, whose maturity and proficiency has been a distinct, rare highlight for England so far this tournament. 67 balls later, the young-old combination had a 50-run partnership to their name. And without ever attacking the target with real intent, they chipped away to bring the required runs down to 32 from three overs.

Nixon then unfurled the shot of the day, a remarkable reverse-swept six off Muralitharan to raise hopes of unlikely victory. In the end, Sri Lanka's discipline in the middle overs proved the decisive factor.

England were no less impressive in the field earlier in the day, capping a one-day match in which, for once, the bowlers shone. The big fear was whether the nightmares of last summer - when Sri Lanka drubbed them 5-0, saving particular scorn for Sajid Mahmood - would haunt them. It didn't. James Anderson and Mahmood, the two opening bowlers in an unchanged lineup, were tight, controlled and impressively accurate in their opening spells.

With Jayasuriya falling cheaply, Sri Lanka's middle-order was opened up but Mahela Jayawardene's solid fifty from 61 balls provided much-needed fluency to an innings lacking momentum. How crucial it was in the end, too. His class with the bat and growing maturity as a leader - not to mention calmness under pressure - is a very reassuring sign for Sri Lanka's future and particularly for this tournament.

Sri Lanka take the two points, and were deserved victors, but England can take pride and encouragement from a far improved performance. They still lost, though, and their next game against Australia now takes on an even greater significance.

Fleming ton crushes Bangladesh

For the second time in five days, New Zealand's well-oiled bowling attack turned in a clinical bowling display, beating Bangladesh by nine wickets, and giving their team a foothold in the semi-finals of the World Cup. A target of 175 was never going to pose too many problems, not with Stephen Fleming sealing the nine-wicket win with an assertive century, his second in World Cups and eighth overall.

Carrying on from where they had left off against West Indies, New Zealand's varied pace attack refused to let up. Shane Bond's incisiveness was complemented by Jacob Oram's awkward lift and Scott Styris's dibbly-dobblies as they snaffled ten wickets between them. Bangladesh's batsmen came unstuck for the second match in a row - a frenzied collapse against Australia was followed by a lacklustre capitulation today - despite enjoying their best opening stand of the tournament. None of the top four converted their starts, giving it away when set, and left the underbelly exposed to the incisive New Zealand attack.

Javed Omar, making his World Cup debut 11 years after his first ODI, and Tamim Iqbal, the youngster, provided Bangladesh the unhurried start they required, adding 55 in 16.4 overs. But Oram's double-strike instigated a steep slide. Oram stuck to a back of a length, extracted uncomfortable bounce and hardly gave the batsmen room to maneuver. Tamim was once struck on the chest, being followed by a short one after trying to charge down the track, and, barring one aggressive crack across the line, couldn't break free that often. He fell trying an overambitious scoop-paddle, dragging his back foot out of the crease and watching Brendon McCullum, standing up, whip off the bails in quick time. Omar edged a short one a couple of overs later and all their good work began to come apart.


Bond opened up the floodgates with a couple of wickets on returning for his second spell before Styris, who bowled Mason's quota of overs after he was injured, mopped up the tail with his nagging seamers. Aftab Ahmed's dismissal typified Bangladesh's day: mistiming a loft off Styris when well set, and holing out to long-off. Habibul Bashar joined in operation surrender, attempting a non-existent second run and being beaten by a direct hit from Oram, a sharp flat hit from deep third man.

Saqibul and Mushfiqur had no answer to Bond detonators, losing their stumps by playing around full deliveries, before Mohammad Ashraful and Mashrafe Mortaza fell to Styris. It took a 34-run tenth wicket stand between Mohammad Rafique and Syed Rasel to lend the total some respectability.

A target of 175 was always going to be within New Zealand's range and they went about hunting it down with the ease associated with a stroll in the park. Fleming went about his business in a composed manner, putting away the wayward deliveries, clipping effortlessly off his pads and handling the left-arm spinners with ease. He shimmied down the track towards the latter part of his innings, lofting three sixes with minimum fuss.

Giving him support was Hamish Marshall, in the side for the injured Lou Vincent. He took some time to get into his stride, especially against the fastish left-arm spin of Abdur Razzak, but finished with a flurry of fours. He grew in confidence as his innings went on and completed the match with a big six off part-time legspinner Ashraful .Their 134-run partnership had taken just 20 overs and was similar to the hammering Bangladesh received at the hands of Australia just a few days ago.

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Another good century by veteran Jayasuriya

West Indies lurched a step closer to leaving their own World Cup as Sanath Jayasuriya's 115 condemned them to a 113-run defeat in front of a rare full house in Guyana. He and Mahela Jayawardene added 183 and then early wickets buried West Indies' chase before it had barely begun, Jayasuriya adding three to his outstanding innings.

After their heart-stopping defeat against South Africa, Sri Lanka's Super Eights campaign is back on track. From the moment Jayasuriya cut loose following a cautious start it was all one-way traffic. West Indies' fielding turned into shambles with dropped chances and fumbles as their World Cup dreams were left hanging by a thread. Even three straight wins - an unlikely prospect on current form and attitude - might not be enough unless other results go their way.

If they were going to make any impression on the target it would have needed a major contribution from Chris Gayle, Brian Lara or preferably both. Instead, they were among the three wickets to fall inside the first 11 overs. Gayle found it tough to pick up Lasith Malinga's action and, tied down for 21 balls, tried to launch him over mid-off but was well held by Dilhara Fernando who back-peddalled two-thirds of the way to the boundary.

The move to bring Dwayne Bravo up the order smacked more of panic and uncertainty than any real planning. Chaminda Vaas, reducing his pace and concentrating on cutters, squeezed one through his defence leaving Lara to enter into a familiar scene. Unlike against Australia where he at least managed some personal success amid the wreckage, here he lasted just four balls. Vaas's canny spell, with Kumar Sangakkara standing up to the stumps, brought his downfall, although the credit must go to some outstandingly sharp glovework from Sangakkara.

The innings was left in the hands of a Guyanese pair, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan, but they couldn't find the boundary, 103 balls elapsing between fours. It was a depressing lack of intent until, with 20 overs remaining and 205 needed, it suddenly dawned on them that these matches can't be drawn. A brief dart at Muttiah Muralitharan and Jayasuriya followed, but it was far too late despite Chanderpaul's five sixes in the arc between long on and deep square-leg.

The demeanour of West Indies throughout the day spoke volumes of a team that is anything but a unit. Even Lara didn't appear to have it in him to motivate his players, the behind-the-scenes issues no doubt still on his mind. In comparison Sri Lanka showed their confidence is still high, despite having to bat when conditions were at their toughest following a 45-minute delayed start.


Mahela Jayawardene helped Jayasuriya added 183 for the third wicket © AFP
Responding to pressure from the West Indian new-ball attack Jayasuriya eked his way to 14 off 33 balls. But suddenly, as is the ability of the high-class limited-overs player, he upped his momentum and opened the shoulders. He targeted the medium pace of Dwayne Smith who went for 18 in his third over, including one glorious straight six. The pressure told on the fielders, who became increasingly ragged, and after a promisingly upbeat start West Indian shoulders slumped and frowns returned.

In 16 balls, Jayasuriya added 36 to reach his half-century and even the normally reliable offspin of Gayle couldn't stem the flow. Jerome Taylor, after a tight start to his second spell, came in for some harsh treatment with Jayasuriya swinging a huge six over long on, launching the second half of his innings. Ian Bradshaw was taken for two more maximums and his 25th ODI century came off 86 balls.

The efforts took their toll on Jayasuriya who felt the effects of high humidity and increasingly struggled to find the middle of his bat. It was little surprise when he dragged Daren Powell onto his stumps to end a stand of 183 in 30 overs with Jayawardene. The wicket should have been the lift West Indies needed, but the pale celebrations were signs of a team already broken.

Jayawardene's innings was just as vital for Sri Lanka, and for the captain himself. In 17 World Cup matches before today he'd averaged just 18 and his form in the Caribbean had been patchy after his 85 against Bermuda. The first boundary took 69 balls, but when he was dropped at deep midwicket by Smith, on 79, a first World Cup century was his for the taking until beaten by one of Bravo's slower-ball specials. But it was about the only thing that didn't go the Sri Lankan captain's way; what Lara would give for a team playing with such verve and confidence.

England's first win in super 8 against Ireland

England overcame some uneasy moments with bat and in the field to record a comfortable 48-run win against Ireland in their opening Super Eights match. Paul Collingwood's 82-ball 90 nursed them to a respectable 266 aided by forties from Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff. Ireland's batsmen couldn't stay up with the rate although Niall O'Brien fought a defiant hand while Flintoff added four wickets to his useful 43.

Ireland, though, were not shamed and made life difficult for England after Michael Vaughan decided to bat first. When Pietersen was removed the scoreline tottered at 113 for 4. But Collingwood, England's middle-order safety valve, again assessed the situation and calmly assured against a major collapse. Flintoff's dismissal in the 44th over left Collingwood to nurse the closing overs. His fifty came off 65 balls, then he showed that power-hitting doesn't just reside with the two men who sandwich him in the order. The final six overs added 71 runs and England always knew that all they then needed was a competent performance in the field; it was about all they produced.

The pitch was slightly two paced and early inroads into Ireland's top order meant they couldn't find any momentum. James Anderson removed the dangerous Jeremy Bray in his first over as the powerful opener tried to slash his first ball through the covers but found Ravi Bopara at point. Sajid Mahmood produced the next wicket, although it was his nifty flick onto the stumps rather than his bowling which accounted for Eoin Morgan.

With two of their key players gone so early the innings could have quickly faded away, but Ireland are made of sterner stuff and William Porterfield anchored the third-wicket stand with O'Brien. Ed Joyce dropped O'Brien early on as his poor day continued and reprieved, O'Brien managed to move along comfortably. However, Porterfield became bogged down as Vaughan set tight ring fields.

The pressure paid off as Porterfield got a leading edge off Flintoff then the spinners applied a tourniquet and squeezed the middle order. Monty Panesar bowled a touch too quickly but picked up Andre Botha and Kevin O'Brien to keep himself in the match. By far the most impressive spin for England came courtesy of their captain as Vaughan had his first ODI bowl since he turned his arm over against Australia, at Edgbaston, in 2005. His reward was O'Brien deceived by some teasing flight, but O'Brien deserves much praise for his second fifty of the tournament. A late dash by Trent Johnston and Andrew White showed up England's lack of rurthlessness before

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