Sri Lanka vs England, 33rd Match, Super Eights at North Sound, Apr 04 2007 - Match Result

RESULT
33rd Match, Super Eights, North Sound, April 04, 2007, ICC World Cup
(50 ov, T:236) 233/8

Sri Lanka won by 2 runs

ravi-bopara
Player Of The Match
52 (53)
Match centre 
Scorecard summary
Sri Lanka1 Inn
235/10(50 overs)
62 (103)
4/50 (9)
3/35 (10)
England2 Inn
233/8(50 overs)
58 (80)
3/41 (9)
52 (53)
2/50 (10)
View full scorecard
Over50
9 runs, 1 wicket
ENG 233/8CRR: 4.66
SI Mahmood 2 (2b)
CRD Fernando3/41 (9)

Well, this has been excellent stuff from Sri Lanka, holding their nerve, bowling well and that's a great match and they deserve the win. Good batting from Nixon and Bopara, sneaking up on the outside and taking England close, but with no cigar. There will be some consolation, though, as the defeat is so narrow, it won't have much of a detrimental effect on their net run rate if it comes down to it.

This is the kind of match the tournament's been crying out for and, after Sri Lanka are involved in another close finish, here's Fernando: "A fantastic game, I think I did well today. I think the boys are playing really well." He explains that Jayawardene told him to bowl in the block hole, no slower balls, and his advice paid off.

Thanks for joining us today, hope you've enjoyed it as much as we have, and that's halfway through the Super Eight stage now. The next World Cup match is this Saturday, when Bangladesh take on South Africa, so do join us then.

49.6
W
Fernando to Bopara, OUT

bowled him! Neck and crop! What a brilliant delivery; just back of a length, the perfect wicket-to-wicket delivery to clip the top of off. Great finish, well done Sri Lanka, well done Fernando. Great stuff!

Ravi Bopara b Fernando 52 (53b 4x4 0x6 85m) SR: 98.11

Fernando pulls out of that delivery! It just didn't seem to come out of his hand, at all, he got right through the action. Take two...

49.5
1
Fernando to Mahmood, 1 run

drives that one into his foot, it drops forward and they run the single

The batsmen having a bit of word now, as you would. So tense now

49.4
1
Fernando to Bopara, 1 run

outside off and that's driven out to the sweeper on the off side and Mahmood's now on strike

49.3
2
Fernando to Bopara, 2 runs

drives that through cover and they press back to get the second - and that's his fifty from 51 balls

49.2
4
Fernando to Bopara, FOUR runs

so well played, so calm, Bopara helping that from off and merely presenting the face of the bat, a paddle, so delicate, and that runs away. Just uses the pace, and that runs over short fine leg and on its way

49.1
1
Fernando to Mahmood, 1 run

on off and that's a quick single - and, crucially for England, Bopara will now be on strike

Over49
7 runs, 1 wicket
ENG 224/7CRR: 4.57  RRR: 12.00
RS Bopara 45 (49b 3x4)SI Mahmood 0 (0b)
SL Malinga2/50 (10)

12 needed from the final over. Who will bowl it? Mahmood will face, that's for sure. Fernando to bowl the final over.

48.6
4
Malinga to Bopara, FOUR runs

great clean strike of a cover drive - have to admire that one, just lacing that away. Malinga just flashes another of his beaming smiles

Brilliant bowling from Malinga, keeping his head here. It's great that Nixon and Bopara took England so close and made it a contest, but Sri Lanka have the upper hand now, and will deserve the win. A change of balls, by the way, seven balls to go now.

Bopara's facing as they crossed

48.5
W
Malinga to Nixon, OUT

that must be the final blow, you'd expect. Big, big wicket that - Nixon went to smack that high over extra cover, but there just wasn't the room to bunt it that far, and that's a great effort from him

Paul Nixon c Jayawardene b Malinga 42 (44b 2x4 1x6 72m) SR: 95.45

Jayawardene just coming over to have a word, Malinga smiling

48.4
1
Malinga to Bopara, 1 run

outside off and that's another calm delivery from Malinga, very good indeed, that on the spot and just worked forward

48.3
Malinga to Bopara, no run

great delivery, Bopara moving outside leg to give himself room to plant that through the off side - that goes down the corridor and he was nowhere near it

48.2
1
Malinga to Nixon, 1 run

takes that from outside off to drive it in front of midwicket

This is great to watch, whoever wins, it's so nice to have a contest

48.1
1
Malinga to Bopara, 1 run

outside off, Bopara lays bat on that one, driving it to cover

Over48
13 runs
ENG 217/6CRR: 4.52  RRR: 9.50
PA Nixon 41 (42b 2x4 1x6)RS Bopara 39 (45b 2x4)
M Muralidaran1/48 (10)

Great placement from Nixon.

Malinga is warming up now - 19 from 12 balls. Where's your money now?

47.6
4
Murali to Nixon, FOUR runs

another reverse sweep and that goes fine - the fielder chases it down, just gets a hand on it, but merely helps it on its way

47.5
Murali to Nixon, no run
47.4
6
Murali to Nixon, SIX runs

big reverse sweep and that just clears the man on the cover boundary - finally nails that shot and that's pretty cool, you have to say

47.3
1
Murali to Bopara, 1 run

outside edge flies in the air... but safe... directly behind the keeper. Ah, apparently it was off the pad

47.2
1
Murali to Nixon, 1 run

connects with the reverse sweep but picks out the sweeper inside the boundary

47.1
1
Murali to Bopara, 1 run

goes for a big aerial whoosh of a sweep off one knee, but can only tuck that one into the ground

Over47
7 runs
ENG 204/6CRR: 4.34  RRR: 10.66
RS Bopara 37 (43b 2x4)PA Nixon 30 (38b 1x4)
SL Malinga1/43 (9)

32 from three overs, with both Murali and Malinga having an over left each. Our money - and Will's match report - is still with Sri Lanka just now. But it's still game on - let's see who's got the bigger fight in them. It's Murali, now

46.6
1
Malinga to Bopara, 1 run

outside off and Bopara drove that into his shin and there's a quick single

46.5
1
Malinga to Nixon, 1 run

down the track again but can only pick out the man at midwicket

Best performances - batters
Spike GraphWagon Zone
WU Tharanga
62 runs (103)
2 fours0 six
Productive shot
off side drive on front foot
19 runs
1 four0 six
Control
86%
KP Pietersen
58 runs (80)
5 fours1 six
Productive shot
on side drive on front foot
21 runs
2 fours0 six
Control
85%
Best performances - bowlers
SI Mahmood
O
9
M
0
R
50
W
4
ECO
5.55
A Flintoff
O
10
M
0
R
35
W
3
ECO
3.5
Match details
TossEngland, elected to field first
Season2006/07
Player Of The Match
Match numberODI no. 2563
Hours of play (local time)09.30 start, First Session 09.30-13.00. Interval 13.00-13.45, Second Session 13.45-17.15
Match days4 April 2007 - day (50-over match)
TV Umpire
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
PointsSri Lanka 2, England 0