English brigade charges into final

May 14, 2010 |

Agencies

Gros Islet (St. Lucia)

England shaded Sri Lanka in all departments of the game to emerge winners by seven wickets in the first semifinal of the ICC World T20 Championship here on Thursday with 24 balls to spare.

Openers Craig Keiswetter and Michael Lumb got Paul Collingwood’s side off to a flier, putting on 68 in 8.1 overs in chase of Sri Lanka’s 128/6, and England were never really threatened in wrapping up the match at 132/3.
Kieswetter contributed a 29-ball 39 (5x4, 2x6) and Lumb a more sedate 33 (26b, 4x4, 1x6) as before Kevin Pietersen (42 not out, 26b, 3x4, 2x6) ensured England’s maiden World T20 final entry.
Ajantha Mendis and Lasith Malinga bowled tight spells but Sri Lanka were let down by some horrible fielding that included three botched run-outs.
Earlier, England did well to peg Sri Lanka back, and only Angelo Mathews, with a maiden Twenty20 international fifty to follow his 46 in Sri Lanka’s five-wicket win over India that saw the side into the last four, offered much resistance.
Mathews made 58 off 45 balls with a six and three fours before he was run out off the penultimate ball.
The next best score was 16, achieved by both captain Kumar Sangakkara, who won the toss, and Chamara Kapugedera.
Paceman Stuart Broad led the attack with 2/21 runs off his four overs.
— Agencies

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