Sri Lanka beat New Zealand in Super Over

2012 ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka

Lasith Malinga bowled well his team to beat New Zealand in Super Over in opening game of the Super Eights at the ICC World Twenty20 on Thursday.

New Zealand needed 14 runs for the Victory in the Super Over after Sri Lanka posted 13/1, But Malinga tight deliveries difficult to score and were restricted to 8/1.

New Zealand had scored 174 for 7 in their 20 overs. Rob Nicol made 58 runs, Martin Guptil scored 38 and Brendon McCullum got 25 runs. Akila Dananjaya take 2 wickets for 32 runs.

In the Chasing Sri Lankan openers start solidly Jayawardene out 44 runs. Tilakratne Dilshan made 76 runs. Sangakkara scored 21 runs. finaly Sri Lanka ended the Innings with 174 for 6 in 20 overs. Match was tied so the Super Over came into play for the results. Tilakratne Dilshan named as the man of the match.

1st Test: NZ lead South Africa by 5 runs

Dunedin: New Zealand managed by small degrees to take a five-run lead over South Africa with one wicket standing on the second day of the first Test on Thursday.

Though 19 wickets had fallen in five sessions, the match defied the strenuous efforts of both sides to gain control.

South Africa was dismissed for 238 after resuming at 191-7 in an innings helped by half centuries to Hashim Amla (62), Graeme Smith (53) and Jacques Rudolph (52). No New Zealand batsman managed to reach 50 but contributions of 48 from Brendon McCullum, 46 from Daniel Vettori, 44 from Ross Taylor and 36 from Kruger van Vyk allowed the hosts to edge to 243-9.

New Zealand's last-wicket pair of Trent Boult (8) and Chris Martin (0) survived to stumps, but offer the hosts little hope of building a substantial lead.

For South Africa, Vernon Philander's remarkable Test career continued as he took 4-50 to increase his tally to 34 wickets in only his fifth Test.

After a frigid first day, trimmed by rain to 58 overs, Thursday's conditions were benign but, despite sunshine and a docile pitch, neither side managed to flourish.

There have been only two passages of play in the match when one side has been truly dominant: the latter part of the first session on Wednesday when Smith made his half century and steered South Africa to 86-1; and its immediate sequel, when Martin dismissed Smith, Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers within four deliveries to terminally damage the South African innings.

Otherwise, the match has developed into an absorbing contest of attrition in which the initiative has regularly passed from one side to the other.

Martin took 4-56 to prevent South Africa's batsmen from establishing themselves and building a formidable first innings. Philander performed the same function as South Africa's most effective strike bowler.

New Zealand then, in an innings built around gritty partnerships, managed to grab a first-innings lead with eight wickets down and in the second-to-last over of the day when Doug Bracewell (25) hit Dale Steyn for four. In an incident illustrative of the nature of the day, Steyn skittled Bracewell's middle stump two balls later.

The day ended in virtual stalemate and with three days and two innings remaining the teams start almost from scratch on Friday. Warmer weather is likely to bake the already hard pitch at the University Oval, making it less supportive of fast bowlers and bringing rival spinners Vettori and Imran Tahir into contention on the last two days.

Leg-spinner Tahir provided a glimpse of his potential when he took 1-55 from 24 overs during New Zealand's innings. Mornel Morkel, the most successful South African bowler after Philander, took 2-52.

"It is parity," New Zealand's top-scorer McCulum said. "At times today I thought we played some pretty good cricket and I thought we could have pushed on for a bit bigger lead but that's the nature of this wicket. "The game is certainly evenly-poised at this stage."

South Africa added 47 runs for its last three wickets at the start of the second day, more than New Zealand was comfortable to allow. Rudolph progressed from 46 overnight to 52 but in keeping with the trend of the match couldn't go beyond that score. Philander made 22, Morkel 13 and Tahir 10.

New Zealand lost debuting opener Rob Nicol to Philander in the fourth over with the total at 7 but McCullum and Guptill steered it to lunch at 40-1.

Guptill (16) was bowled by Morkel in the over following the resumption and there followed one of the day's pivotal periods when McCullum and New Zealand's returning captain Ross Taylor put on 65 for the third wicket.

Taylor was playing his first innings in almost a month after recovering from a calf injury and he looked rusty. McCullum wasn't hitting the ball as sweetly as usual but the pair survived an hour-long examination from the South African pace battery to establish their partnership.

Both were peppered by short pitch balls but they were able to surmount that trial and to build the partnership which was the kernel of the innings. Again, in keeping with the trend of the match both fell just when they seemed to be established and about to go on to play a dominant role.

McCullum was caught and bowled by Tahir and Taylor was out for 44, flashing at a wide delivery from Morkel.

Vettori played a typically hardy rearguard role and made 46 in a partnership of 53 with South African-born van Vyk. After Vettori had batted for 107 minutes to support New Zealand's bid for a first innings lead, the diminutive van Vyk continued that good work.

He took New Zealand within nine runs of South Africa's total when he was caught by Smith at first slip off Philander. Tim Southee fell two balls later, leaving New Zealand eight wickets down and still needing 9 runs to match South Africa.

Bracewell and later Boult carried them over the line. But the match remains one so far dominated by bowlers.

"Heading into the Test match, we knew that both bowling lineups were potent when they got it right," McCullum said. "Both sides are playing four seamers so it gives both sides the opportunity to continue to attack."

NZ beat Zim by 202 runs to sweep ODI series

Napier: Captain Brendon McCullum hit a commanding century as New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by 202 runs in the third one-day international on Thursday, sweeping the three-match series.

McCullum's 119 was his fourth one-day international century and came after a 153-run opening partnership between Martin Guptill and Rob Nicol that propelled New Zealand to 373-8 - their third-highest total in one-day internationals.

Kane Williamson, Nathan McCullum and Tarun Nethula then shared six wickets as New Zealand bowled out Zimbabwe for 171 in 44 overs. Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor top-scored with 65 from 68 balls.

Zimbabwe's chances of challenging New Zealand's giant total all but disappeared when openers Tinotenda Mawoyo and Stuart Matsikenyeri fell with the total at 14. Taylor and wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu (26) put on 77 for the third wicket but when Taibu departed in the 21st over Zimbabwe was on a pedestrian 81-3 and the game was effectively over.

Williamson took 2-13 from three overs, Nathan McCullum 2-21 from three and leg-spinner Nethula 2-41 from 10.

Nethula bowled an outstanding spell, dropping onto a perfect line and length and challenging all batsmen with flight and turn. When he made his debut in the previous match at Whangarei he was the first leg-spinner to play a one-day international for New Zealand in 10 years.

Fast bowler Michael Bates, who was the most recent of six players to make their New Zealand debuts in the series, took 1-24 from eight overs.

Earlier, McCullum built on the foundation laid by Guptill (85 from 69 balls) and Nicol (61 from 63), who shared their second-straight century partnership and their third in one-day internationals.

The skipper reached his century from 79 balls and took his 119 runs from 88 balls before falling to the last ball of the innings.

"It was nice to come in with a few overs to go and to be able to build a good innings," McCullum said. "The way both Martin and Rob batted was great and they've been magnificent for us all series."

Both openers capitalized on reprieves. Nicol was judged lbw to Brian Vitori but the decision was overturned on replay and Guptill was dropped off Vitori's bowling when he was on 4 and New Zealand was 17-0.

The openers fully capitalized on the let-offs. Guptill reached his half century from 38 balls and the pair raised their century partnership in the 15th over before falling to successive deliveries.

Nicol was trapped lbw by off-spinner Prosper Utseya with the last ball of the 22nd over and Guptill was bizarrely stumped off a leg-side wide bowled by left-armer Ray Price with the first ball of the 23rd.

The ball lodged in the crook of wicketkeeper Tatendu Taibu's arm. Guptill did not see it there, and stepped out of his crease as if to take a single. Taibu retrieved the ball and whipped off the bails as Guptill desperately tried to retrieve his ground, doing the splits and ending up spread-eagled on the ground.

McCullum then took charge, hitting seven fours and five sixes in a relatively restrained innings which still punished Zimbabwe for some wayward bowling. Vitori (1-105) was particularly expensive, continually bowling full tosses on a ground famous for its short square boundaries.

McCullum was not overly aggressive early, but picked up the pace, htting his second half century from only 27 balls as New Zealand accelerated its run rate. He reached his hundred in the 48th over, from 107 balls and with five fours and four sixes.

New Zealand won the first match by 90 runs and the second by 141 runs.

New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by 141 runs

Whangarei: Rob Nicol scored 146 runs and veteran allrounder Jacob Oram added three wickets to a dashing half century as New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by 141 runs in the second ODI on Monday.

Nicol brought up his second century from only five one-day international appearances and the fifth-highest innings by a New Zealander in 50-overs matches, batting until the 49th over to anchor New Zealand's innings of 372-6.

The total was New Zealand's third-highest in one-day internationals after its 402-2 against Ireland in 2008 and 397-5 against Zimbabwe in 2005.

Oram chipped in 59 from 28 balls, batting at his highest position in the New Zealand order in 10 years, then took 3-29 as Zimbabwe was held to 231-8 in reply.

New Zealand now leads the three-match series 2-0.

"It was a much improved performance on what we put out in the first match (which New Zealand won by 90 runs)," captain Brendon McCullum said.

"To score 370 was always going to be a big ask for Zimbabwe and the boys bowled very well at the start of the innings, which was pleasing."

Zimbabwe had little chance of matching New Zealand's total when Kyle Mills and Tim Southee shared three wickets to knock the tourists' top order. Southee removed Hamilton Masakadza and Mills dismissed Stuart Matsikenyeri and captain Brendan Taylor to leave Zimbabwe 17-3 in the seventh over.

Elton Chigumbura made 63 from 69 balls and wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu 50 from 76 balls in an 80-run, sixth wicket partnership which added some solidity to the Zimbabwe total. Shingirai Masakadza's 38 and Prosper Utseya's 27 not out ensured Zimbabwe batted through its 50 overs.

New Zealand's massive total was always unreachable. Nicol provided the framework around which the innings was built, batting for 199 minutes, facing 134 balls and hitting 10 fours and two sixes.

He was happy at first to be the foil for his opening partner Martin Guptill, who scored 77 of their first wicket partnership of 131, and for Oram, with whom he put on 77 for the second wicket, of which Oram scored 59.

But he then became the driver of the innings, forcing the run-rate, particularly in a 101-run partnership for the sixth wicket with 19-year-old Tom Latham who scored 48 from 28 balls. The pair helped New Zealand put on 86 in the last five overs.

Their scoring was helped by some wayward bowling by Zimbabwe and poor fielding which saw the tourists drop five catches.

"It's very disappointing but we were beaten again by a much better team," Zimbabwe captain Taylor said. "I just hope that my guys had the chance to watch how the Black Caps go about their business and try to replicate that, not so much in the skill department, but in their approach and their body language."

The start of Monday's match was delayed by 35 minutes by rain but no overs were lost and Nicol and Guptill made a circumspect beginning as they studied the pace of the pitch at Cobham Oval which was hosting a one-day international for the first time.

Guptill fell to the left-armer Ray Price in the 24th over when he was 77 and New Zealand was 131, giving the veteran of 101 matches his first one-day international wicket against New Zealand.

New Zealand then promoted Oram in the order, to bat at No. 3 for the first time in more than a decade and to take advantage of a batting powerplay while Zimbabwe's spinners were operating.

The tactic paid off handsomely as Oram smashed five fours and three sixes on his way to a half century from 23 balls. New Zealand took 44 runs from the powerplay, of which Oram scored 34.

The innings then belonged to Nicol who compiled the fifth highest total by a New Zealander in a one-day international after Lou Vincent's 172, Glenn Turner's 171, Brendon McCullum's 166 and James Marshall's 161.