PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka – Host Sri Lanka outsmarted the West Indies by nine wickets to move one step closer to a semifinal berth while champion England bounced back to stay alive with a six-wicket victory over New Zealand in the Super Eights stage of the World Twenty20 Cup here Saturday. Sri Lankan spinners kept the West Indian big hitters to 129-5 in 20 overs before chasing the modest target in the 16th over for the loss of only one wicket to record their second win in the round of eight teams. Mahela Jayawardene led the Sri Lankan reply with an unbeaten 65, sharing an unbroken 108-run stand for the second wicket with Kumar Sangakkara (39 not out) after Tillakaratne Dilshan fell for 13. Whereas, Luke Wright blasted 76 off 43 balls as England powered past the Kiwis' total of 148-6. Sri Lanka must avoid defeat in its last match against England while the West Indies needs to beat the Black Caps with a superior net run-rate – both games here Monday – to reach the last four. In case Sri Lanka loses to England and West Indies beats New Zealand — it will come down to net run-rate to decide the semifinalists, with three teams on four points. New Zealand's slim chance of reaching the semifinals hinges on Sri Lanka winning its last match and it convincingly beat the West Indies. The West Indian bowlers failed to worry any of the two great Sri Lankan batsmen, with Jayawardene hitting 10 boundaries and a six off 49 deliveries while Sangakkara hit five boundaries during his 34-ball knock. Earlier, Ajantha Mendis took 2-12 in his four overs while Jeeven Mendis claimed 1-12 as the West Indies, which won the toss and opted to bat, found it hard to score freely in their 20 overs after batting first. Marlon Samuels (50) and Dwayne Bravo (40) were the main run-getters, lifting their team through a 65-run third wicket partnership after West Indies lost Chris Gayle (two) and Johnson Charles (12) at the same score of 16. Samuels hit two sixes and four boundaries during his 35-ball knock before he holed out in the last over. Mendis, who came on to bowl the fifth over of the innings, had Charles stumped off the fifth ball of the over which was a maiden. Bravo hit four boundaries and two sixes during his 34-ball knock before he holed out to Jeevan Mendis. Earlier, Wright, who made 99 against Afghanistan in the group stages, hit five massive sixes and an equal number of boundaries and added 89 runs for the third wicket with Eoin Morgan (30) as England reached its target of 149 with seven balls to spare. New Zealand spinners Daniel Vettori and Nathan McCullum dismissed the openers cheaply to put England's chase under pressure but the partnership between Wright and Morgan shut them out of the match. England paceman Steve Finn picked up three wickets for 16 runs as New Zealand was restricted to 148 for six after captain Ross Taylor won the toss and opted to bat first. The lanky seamer dismissed the dangerous Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum in his first spell to put New Zealand on the backfoot from where it never recovered. Left-hander James Franklin (50) hit some lusty blows towards the end of the innings to prop up New Zealand after it was reduced to 67 for four wickets at one stage. Sri Lanka 130-1 (Mahela Jayawardene 65 not out, Kumar Sangakkara 39 not out, Ravi Rampaul 1-39), def. West Indies 129-5 (Marlon Samuels 50, Dwayne Bravo 40; Ajantha Mendis 2-12). England 149-4 (Luke Wright 76, Eoin Morgan 30; Doug Bracewell 1-8, Daniel Vettori 1-20) def. New Zealand 148-6 (James Franklin 50, Ross Taylor 22; Steven Finn 3-16). — Agencies
