Sri Lanka spin into WT20 semis

Rangana Herath’s five wickets flatten Kiwis while the Netherlands shock England in the sides’ final match.

Herath took four wickets in his first three overs to leave the Kiwis reeling at 29 for five in the eighth over [AFP]

Sri Lanka breezed into the World Twenty20 semi-finals after left-arm spinner Rangana Herath bowled them to a 59-run victory over New Zealand in a decisive match in Chittagong.

Leading Sri Lanka in the absence of Dinesh Chandimal, who served a one-match ban for his team’s second over-rate offence in 12 months, Lasith Malinga initially watched in dismay as New Zealand bowler Trent Boult wrecked his top order with a three-wicket burst.

World T20 Semi-Finals

April 3 –  Sri Lanka v (Pakistan or West Indies)

April 4 –  India v South Africa

Jimmy Neesham (3-22) then polished off the tail to bowl Sri Lanka out for 119 in 19.2 overs but New Zealand’s hopes of an easy chase were soon over as they capitulated.

New Zealand began their chase one batsman short after all-rounder Corey Anderson dislocated a finger trying to take a catch.

Playing his first match of the tournament, spinner Herath took four wickets in his first three overs to leave the Kiwis reeling at 29 for five in the eighth over.

Kane Williams (42), the only Kiwi batsman to manage double digits, tried his best to offer some resistance but could not stop New Zealand from folding for their lowest total in 20-over cricket with 60 runs in 15.3 overs.

With the victory, Sri Lanka joined South Africa in the last four from Group One.

Netherlands stun England

Earlier, the Netherlands shocked England by 45 runs to end a dismal few months at a new low point.

England captain Stuart Broad claimed 3-24 to restrict the Netherlands to a moderate total of 133-5 in their final group match.

Wesley Barresi hit 45 while Stephan Myburgh made 39 and Michael Swart scored 13.

England, already eliminated from the tournament after defeats by New Zealand and South Africa, were bowled out for just 88 runs in 17.4 overs.

Logan Van Beek and Mudassar Bukhari claimed three wickets apiece for the Dutch, who also defeated England by four wickets in the opening match of the World Twenty20 at Lord’s in 2009.

England’s 88 was the lowest total ever posted by a full-member Test side against an associate nation in the shortest format of the game.

“It sums up our winter really. It was pretty similar to our batting displays when we lost the Ashes in Australia,” a dejected England captain Stuart Broad said.

“There was a lack of commitment in the shots and a very disorganised chase. The bowling and fielding was ok, we just lacked a bit of hunger with the bat by the looks of it.”

Source: Reuters