It looks like I had forgotten to talk about the NZ v Sri Lanka – the penultimate contest of interest in the Cricket World Cup. Its bit of a double entendre, as The ultimate contest in world cup was of course India v Pakistan. If the football world cup weren’t there, the match between India & Pakistan would be the world’s most tuned in sporting event, no doubt. Not even the Finals of Cricket World Cup could match IndiPak match – and we all know who won there. You’d have seen some green faced people up out there in the streets of London or Birmingham or Southhall for that matter.
As things looked, NZ were not in their full form and there had been no depth in batting as was expected from the Kiwis. Sri Lanka on the other hand, have been as unpredictable as ever. Anyways it all boiled down to 217 for 10 with some balls to spare, seven to be precise. Then it was the Sri Lanka turn to bat. They were administering the same medicine they had fed to England. One little mistake though, Kiwis were in better shape than the England team, who were all weary with a long season with Ashes (victory) behind them. Kiwis, specially thanks to Vettori, were not taking the full dose and were putting up stiff resistance in defence of their modest score. At no match before had the pendulum of victory swung so decisively – NZ were casting the same spell they used so effectively on South Africa. At the last 5 overs or so, things looked positively gloomy for Sri Lanka as they had just lost another batsman. And in comes Angelo, what a name! Angelo – Angel – meaning the messenger. The message was clear, Angelo the harbinger of positive news for Sri Lanka. As soon as he walks in, I knew the Kiwis were doomed, for only a few runs were required and there were balls to spare, and there was hope again.
With all that hope and calculation, it was not the batting that took the game off Kiwis at the end. It was those 5 leg bys and the 4 through the overthrow which cost them dearly at the end.
And the winning run: 4 off to the boundary by Matthews (Angelo). Its all over.
Oh no, the umpire calls it a dead ball.
Replay, nothing techie there to call it off, whats going on!
Single, and Thilan comes to the crease.
Four to thirdman by Thilan its all wrapped up.
That unlucky number of 13 balls to spare too…
Victory and you should have seen face of Vettori!
Sri Lanka 220 / 5 beat New Zealand 217 by five wickets
Ps A firework had gone off right at the moment of delivery of that dead ball! Lest you wonder, and umpire was right to call it off.
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