Sri Lanka Outclass New Zealand For 112-Run Win

Sri Lanka 265-9 (Sangakkara 111) beat
New Zealand 153 (Muralitharan 4-25) by 112 runs
ICC Cricket World Cup Group A, Mumbai

Experienced trio Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Muttiah Muralitharan played starring roles as Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by 112 runs in their ICC Cricket World Cup Group A clash in Mumbai.

Sangakkara hit 111 and Jayawardene 66 as Sri Lanka reached 265 for nine before Muralitharan took four for 25 to dismiss New Zealand for 153.

Sri Lanka reached a competitive total despite only three players - Sangakkara, Jayawardene and Mathews - scored more than seven runs in a topsy-turvy scorecard on a pitch that either offered lots of runs if the patience to get in was there, or very little if the bowlers got it right.

Tim Southee got it right in returning three for 63 while off-spinner Nathan McCullum took two for 48 while Sangakkara, who faced 128 balls, and Jayawardene, who faced 90, put on a partnership worth 145 for the third wicket.

Following Mathews' dismissal, the lower order collapsed, Sri Lanka losing six wickets for 50 runs but despite that, New Zealand were unable to take advantage.

They lost wickets throughout their reply, spinners Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis (2-24) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (1-24) sharing seven wickets.

Ross Taylor top scored with 33 while James Franklin and Jacob Oram, who was unbeaten, both made 20 as New Zealand failed to build the partnerships they required to push Sri Lanka.

Both sides have already qualified for the quarter-finals.