RESULT
1st Match, Group B, Providence, April 30, 2010, ICC World Twenty20
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(19.5/20 ov, T:136) 139/8

New Zealand won by 2 wickets (with 1 ball remaining)

Player Of The Match
16* (6), 1/17 & 3 catches
nathan-mccullum
New
NZ
Full commentary

An ear-shattering scream was heard right after he hit that shot, he knew it was heading over the ropes the moment he struck that. A fitting start to the World Twenty20. The conditions were not easy for the batsmen with the pitch playing slow, supporting spin and the ball keeping low on occasion. Sri Lanka, thanks to Jayawardene, had posted a competitive total. Ryder and Guptill overcame an early loss to put New Zealand's chase on course, but Jayasuriya and Murali combined to give Sri Lanka the edge. Just when it seemed New Zealand were slipping away, Oram smashed Mendis for consecutive sixes and Nathan McCullum came in to decide the game in two shots, a six and a four off Malinga. Sri Lanka had their chances. There were run-out chances missed, one in the last over and one off the last ball of the penultimate over where McCullum could have lost his wicket. But New Zealand held their nerve, and delivered an exciting finish which will. hopefully, set the tone for the rest of the competition. Join us in a bit for the presentation.

Sangakkara: "We probably lost the game in the last over. We fell about 10-12 runs short, Mahela batted well with Chandimal. The bowlers tried hard but we missed run-outs at the end. Malinga bowled brilliantly, but he was unlucky to go for that boundary off the third ball. We need to convert good starts into good totals and improve our fielding."

Vettori: "We were fortunate we played a few warm-up games here. 135 was pretty good but we knew how difficult Sri Lanka could be with their bowlers. We put ourselves under pressure with the way we batted in the middle, but Oram and McCullum rescued us in the end. It was easier for Nathan to hit at the end, and his four and six were pretty amazing. We need to be more aggressive with the bat."

Nathan McCullum is Man of the Match for his all-round effort.

McCullum: "I was pretty nervous but fortunately it came off in the end. I quite enjoy taking the new ball. Hopefully just an allrounder is what I would call myself."

That's it from us for this game, folks. Thanks for tuning in and sending us your feedback. Stay put, for the second game of the day, between West Indies and Ireland starts fairly soon. Goodbye from me.

19.5
6
Malinga to McCullum, SIX runs

Six, Six, Six! What a blow, Nathan McCullum's handed New Zealand a thrilling win, lands on a length outside off, just perfect for McCullum who strikes it powerfully and cleanly over the long-off boundary to seal victory for New Zealand

Southee comes in, 3 off 2 needed

19.4
1W
Malinga to McCullum, 1 run, OUT

run-out, aiming for the blockhole, driven to long-on, Vettori tries an improbable second run and Malinga this time collects well and takes off the bails, eight down

Daniel Vettori run out (sub [S Randiv]/Malinga) 17 (15b 1x4 0x6 33m) SR: 113.33

4 off 3

19.3
4
Malinga to McCullum, FOUR runs

found the gap, full delivery and he moved across and swing that between fine leg and deep square leg, perfect placement, had found his spot and executed the shot brilliantly

19.2
1b
Malinga to Vettori, 1 bye

missed run-out, full outside off,. Vettori tries to steer and misses, Sangakkara sends the ball back to Malinga as McCullum wants the bye, he has all the time to run to the stumps and take off the bails but he misses an under-arm flick onto the stumps, allowing them a chance to steal the run they wanted

Vettori now

19.1
1
Malinga to McCullum, 1 run

yorker on middle, all he can do is play it to mid-on for a single

Ten to win and 9 to tie. If it's a tie, we head to a one-over eliminator. Malinga to bowl the last over to McCullum.

end of over 1910 runs • 2 wickets
NZ: 126/7CRR: 6.63 RRR: 10.00
Nathan McCullum4 (2b)
Daniel Vettori17 (14b 1x4)
Chanaka Welegedara 2-0-21-1
Lasith Malinga 3-0-21-0
18.6
3
Welegedara to McCullum, 3 runs

missed run-out, low full toss on middle, gets across and chips it over midwicket, they steal two and McCullum attempts an unlikely third, the throw lands on the bounce to Welegedara who fails to collect and McCullum's dive saves him

18.5
1
Welegedara to Vettori, 1 run

yorker on leg stump, digs it out into the leg side behind square for a single

14 needed off 8

18.4
4
Welegedara to Vettori, FOUR runs

finds the gap, was bowled full, moved across and swiped it between deep square leg and deep midwicket for a boundary

18.3
1
Welegedara to McCullum, 1 run

pushed it full on the off, driven to long-off for a single

Nathan McCullum comes in

18.2
1W
Welegedara to Hopkins, 1 run, OUT

run-out, full outside off, slices it behind point, Dilshan runs to his left from deep point and returns a powerful throw back to Sangakkara who collects on the half-volley and takes off the stumps to find Hopkins well short as he tries to make it back for the second, New Zealand are sliding now

Gareth Hopkins run out (Dilshan/†Sangakkara) 1 (1b 0x4 0x6 1m) SR: 100

Hopkins to face

Oram was looking threatening, striking those two sixes off Mendis but Sri Lanka have now removed a major obstacle in their defence of a competitive score

18.1
W
Welegedara to Oram, OUT

Timber! Full and straight, Oram takes his right foot out and tries to swing it over wide long-on, misses and the stumps take a beating

Jacob Oram b Welegedara 15 (6b 0x4 2x6 6m) SR: 250

Welegedara to bowl the penultimate over. 20 needed. Fine leg is up

end of over 186 runs
NZ: 116/5CRR: 6.44 RRR: 10.00
Jacob Oram15 (5b 2x6)
Daniel Vettori12 (12b)
Lasith Malinga 3-0-21-0
Ajantha Mendis 4-0-34-1
17.6
1
Malinga to Oram, 1 run

yorker outside off, Oram makes room, digs it into the off side and gets the single he needs to be on strike

17.5
1
Malinga to Vettori, 1 run

low full toss on the off, drilled down to long-off for a single

17.4
2
Malinga to Vettori, 2 runs

squeezes it behind square on the off side, completes the single and calls for the second, a throw to the non-striker;s end, Malinga flips it onto the stumps but Oram has made it in time

17.3
1
Malinga to Oram, 1 run

fullish outside off, tries to drop it into the off side, gets an inside edge, Vettori calls for a single, Oram responds late, but manages the single, blocking Malinga's view as he tries to aim at the non-striker's end

17.2
1
Malinga to Vettori, 1 run

driven to long-off for a single

17.1
Malinga to Vettori, no run

What is Sangakkara appealing for? Full outside off, he tries to steer that past point, the ball bounces after it misses the bat and gets to Sanga who goes up

Oram has evened things out here

end of over 1715 runs • 1 wicket
NZ: 110/5CRR: 6.47 RRR: 8.66
Jacob Oram13 (3b 2x6)
Daniel Vettori8 (8b)
Ajantha Mendis 4-0-34-1
Lasith Malinga 2-0-15-0
16.6
6
Mendis to Oram, SIX runs

Six more! Flighted and he had made up his mind, came down the track, got to the pitch and lofted it high with one hand, it seemed as though Welegedara at long-on had it well covered but it just about managed to clear him in the end, the wind may have taken it over

16.5
6
Mendis to Oram, SIX runs

that's disappeared! Bowled it on a good length, Oram came down the track and launched it over long-on for a massive sixes

16.4
1
Mendis to Vettori, 1 run

Vettori comes down the track, Mendis holds back his length, chips it towards extra cover for a single

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