Alright, that’s me done. Thank you for the nice chat about New Zealand music (and cricket). South Africa play Afghanistan tomorrow, with both of their fates sealed. New Zealand are on the way to the semi final and Sri Lanka to the airport – that’s their World Cup done. Bye!
Trent Boult is player of the match. “I feel like I’ve used my experience,” through the group stage. “Always the hardest part of playing here is adapting to conditions.” On the India semi: “Everyone wants a piece of the host nation, they are playing brilliantly.”
Easy in the end, all set up in the power play. New Zealand whacked 73 wicketless runs there with Conway and Ravindra, en route to an 86-run opening stand. That was half the job done. The second half of the chase was less convincing on paper, but they were batting with the foot down to absolutely make sure of their Net Run Rate position. On that, Ath on telly tells me that the scenario is as follows. If Pakistan make 300 v England, they’ll need to bowl them out for 13. If they knock over England for 50, they’d need to reach the target in 2.3 overs. So then, the gap is simply too big. For the second consecutive World Cup, New Zealand will keep Pakistan out of fourth spot on Net Run Rate.
NEW ZELAND WIN BY FIVE WICKETS!
A straight drive then a pull, back-to-back boundaries for Phillips off Madushanka, and that’s the win! New Zealand, barring anything absolutely ridiculous from here, will play in the semi-final v India!
23.2 overs: New Zealand 172-5 (Phillips 17, Latham 2) Target 172.
23rd over: New Zealand 164-5 (Phillips 9, Latham 2) Target 172. Latham off the mark with a couple to deep cover to end the successful over. New Zealand are eight runs away from victory.
NOT OUT! Pitched outside leg by a long way. Play on.
IS LATHAM OUT LBW? Doesn’t look like it. They review anyway.
WICKET! Mitchell c Asalanka b Mathews 43 (31) New Zealand 162-5
Just when I was typing in a post about how Mitchell has turned Mathews around the corner for a beautifully timed four and looks in lovely nick heading into the semi against India, he’s picked out Asalanka at deep midwicket with a wayward flick. In fairness, it’s a very good catch from Asalanka to make it so – he loves diving.
22nd over: New Zealand 157-4 (Mitchell 39, Phillips 8) Target 172. They’re trying to end it with big blows off Madushanka but he’s taking the pace off nicely and denying both a chance to free the arms.
“Have waited and waited for this to be on your feed,” writes Petr Salmon, “but if we are talking NZ music and the World Cup (Mathews, England, Maxwell, golf buggies etc.), it can’t not I think. Consider this a mic drop.” I was googling OMC only last week… cool dude, me.
21st over: New Zealand 150-4 (Mitchell 37, Phillips 4) Target 172. Second ball, the new man Phillips tries to biff Matthews over cover, gets a fat edge instead, and it runs away for four. 22 runs to get.
WICKET! Chapman run out Samawickrama 7 (6) New Zealand 145-4
Chapman is not happy! His miscue goes to point, Mitchell charges down but the striking batter goes nowhere – but he’s crossed, and thats’s that. For morale reasons, Mitchell didn’t need to cross.
20th over: New Zealand 144-3 (Mitchell 35, Chapman 7) Target 172. Chapman versus Madushanka, back into the attack – wicketless today but what a tournament he’s had, like Geoff Allott in 1999. Yeah, you heard me! Just like that! Chapman doesn’t care for this love-in though, carving him behind point for four to welcome him back into the attack. Later in the over, it’s Mitchell who goes on the attack, clearing the front leg and pumping him over mid on – another boundary!
Oh! How about this: in the place where I’m watching this game and diligently reporting to you the goings on, they are playing my favourite New Zealand song. Most pleasant. Last year at Galle, doing a Test on radio, we bid farewell to Jeremy Coney with it as he flew home.
19th over: New Zealand 132-3 (Mitchell 29, Chapman 1) Target 172. Chapman is the designated finisher for New Zealand and that’s what he’ll be trying to do here in the next handful of overs. He’s off the mark with a quick single, taking on Theekshana on the edge of the circle at mid-off; he’s home regardless, great running. Six runs and a wicket.
WICKET! Williamson b Matthews 14 (15). New Zealand 130-3
Williamson pulls Matthews away for four, moving through the gears with Mitchell, but chops the next one onto his middle stump! He can’t believe it. Looks an innocuous delivery but the pace was taken off it.
18th over: New Zealand 126-2 (Williamson 10, Mitchell 29) Target 172. New Zealan really are making sure of this in terms of their own Net Run Rate and the theoretical challenge posed by Pakistan. It’s Mitchell versus Theekshaka and Dazzy Lad leaps down the track and manages to, despite not getting to the pitch of the ball, lift him over wide extra cover for SIX MORE. Dare I say it, that’s Maxwellian in its execution. We get a scenario on telly about Pakistan that I didn’t hear clearly but was along the lines of them needing to bowl out England in ten overs before getting the target in four – something like that. The Black Caps are nearly into yet another World Cup semi-final. They never miss out.
17th over: New Zealand 118-2 (Williamson 9, Mitchell 22) Target 172. Back from the breather, it’s Big Ange into the attack – the other one! Mathews, what a few days he’s had. I did enjoy his detective work after the Timed Out dismissal, happily tweeting his workings to challenge the view expressed by the fourth umpire that he wasn’t out there to face within two minutes even before the helmet drama. Back to this game, he wins a miscue from Matthews that doesn’t go to hand… they need everything to break their way from here. Williamson’s turn and he shows his first sign of aggression, timing him through cover off the back foot in that classical fashion – into a gap, the captain’s first four.
Some highlights of the 2015 World Cup were shown before returning from drinks – simpler times in international cricket? Happier times, right? Then again, it’s probable we’ll say the same about this (middling) competition if the 2027 World Cup is compromised to the extent I fear it might become. Anyway, no more existential angst today.
16th over: New Zealand 108-2 (Williamson 3, Mitchell 18) Target 172. Theekshana to Williamson and he’s down with a plead for leg before when his wrong’un beats the inside edge but it’s hit him on the thigh pad – no review needed there. Mitchell’s turn to face and he keeps the pressure on, nailing his reverse sweep for a second time – four more! Just 64 runs left – this should be over in the next hour. Drinks!
15th over: New Zealand 103-2 (Williamson 2, Mitchell 14) Target 172. Williamson steers third man for one – set your watch to that for him early in his innings. Mitchell on the march- caught behind?! No! Not out on the field and no review. Back pad, the replay shows – “a terrific decision,” says Ian Smith. Oohhh, that’s better from Daz, launching a SIX over mid-off – stand and deliver. An encapsulation already of why he’s so dangerous: reverses his first ball for four then muscles a six from his 6th delivery in the middle. And make it four more – one through deep midwicket, no stopping that chip. 11 off it. After the two wickets in two overs, the Black Caps are flying once again.
14th over: New Zealand 93-2 (Williamson 1, Mitchell 4) Target 172. The Dazzler arrives, The Dazzler reverse sweeps right away for four – he loves that shot and I love him. Ohhh, he wants to do it again but Theekshaka has sent down a full toss, so he misses out on popping him into the parklands surrounding the ground. Six runs and the wicket off the over. New Zealand require 80 runs from here at 2.22 an over.
WICKET! Ravindra c Dhananjaya b Theekshana 42 (34) New Zealand 88-2
One brings two! From nowhere, Theekshana gets Ravindra, who gets down on one knee with a view to mowing it over midwicket but instead miscues into the hands of the fielder on the circle at mid-on.
13th over: New Zealand 86-1 (Ravindra 41, Williamson 0) Target 172. That opening stand was worth exactly half of what the Black Caps require for victory here. The new man is Williamson, who needn’t be in a hurry. Chameera gives him nothing though, finding an inside edge to complete the over that Sri Lanka needed so badly: a wicket maiden.
“Rachin whose name is a portmanteau of Rahul (Dravid) and Sachin (Tendulkar),” says Krishnamoorthy, “named thus by a cricket-mad father, appears to have a batting style that is a combination of Vivian Richards and David Gower.” Nominative determinism, of sorts.
WICKET! Conway c Dhananjaya b Chameera 45 (42) New Zealand 86-1
Chameera gets the breakthrough! Conway, who copped one on the hands from Sri Lanka’s quickest as soon as he entered the attack, is slow on the clip here and places it to the catcher at midwicket.
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12th over: New Zealand 86-0 (Conway 45, Ravindra 41) Target 172. They’re backing Theekshana to find something but I can’t see it happening – another half-tracker this time around, put away through midwicket by Ravindra like it isn’t a thing at all. Six taken, 86 to get.
“Damn you Adam Collins!” Ummm, hi Alistair Connor! “That clip by The Beths made me sick with nostalgia for Auckand, and cross too, from the realisation that I’m 20 years out of date with Kiwi music Happy unhappy indeed. Thank you very much, and please excuse me while I price some tickets. Counting down now to the semi-final against India… and replay of the rugby final, SA-NZ. With the tightest of finishes, of course!”
Music and New Zealand sport have that welcome link – I love covering cricket there when they are batting well and pop on this and the crowd roars together, as one, WHY DOES LOOOVE, DO THIS TO MEEEEE???
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11th over: New Zealand 80-0 (Conway 44, Ravindra 36) Target 172. Ravindra takes a moment to size up the new challenge against the added pace of Chameera with the field now back but when the short ball comes, he responds by simply pulling it over the man at deep midwicket – his third SIX! I can’t wait to see him get an extended run as a Test player in the New Zealand top order after this tournament, his classical style will suit the red-ball game just as well as the white.
10th over: New Zealand 73-0 (Conway 44, Ravindra 29) Target 172. As those time-honoured song writers Daphne and Celeste once wrote: U.G.L.Y you ain’t go no alibi. That’s how I feel when watching Theekshana, back in the attack, when gifting Conway a long hop two feet outside the off-stump to begin his new spell – cut away with ease. That was his eighth boundary, a ninth coming to the very same part of the rope with a compact square drive later in the over when the spinner overcorrects. Believe me when I say he’s a much, much better bowler than what we are seeing here. Two balls left in the power play but Conway defends them both. Still, a perfect start – they’re flying.
Love this from Felix Oedekoven. “Just impulsively ordered the The Beths album that song you posted is on. Please stop now, I’m already spending too much money on records.”
Alright, if that’s the mood you’re in… one of the most underrated indie bands of the golden era of dancing to guitars, Cut Off Your Hands. I don’t believe they’re making music now, but buy their debut. Bliss!
9th over: New Zealand 65-0 (Conway 36, Ravindra 29) Target 172. Chameera has wheels; he’s belatedly into the attack. Oooh nasty too – he gets one to spit at Conway, into his gloves – out come the medical staff; we have a delay. It was a broken digit that kept him out of the T20 World Cup Final against Australia, but that was after he smashed his bat in frustration getting out in the semi. Right, good news: he continues. One ball to go and it’s right where it needs to be, defended respectfully. Why did they take so long to get him on? Two off the over.
“I was going to leave you in peace,” says Peter Salmon, “but NZ music - can’t go past possibly the best pop song ever written...” Some call that!
8th over: New Zealand 63-0 (Conway 35, Ravindra 28) Target 172. Phwoooar! It’s improbable there’ll be enough runs here for Ravindra to chalk up a fourth ton in this World Cup but if there were, he’d be well on track. He moves to become the leading run-scorer in the tournament with a launched over midwicket; the bowler Dhananjaya doesn’t stand a chance – SIX! And next ball, the cut, with no real room to work with, is even better – threading it through, four more, so good.
New Zealand had a very similar pattern to this in 2019: a quick start against lesser opposition (make your own gag re England in the opening game), lost their way in the middle stages, then got their act together just before the semi… where they beat India, who they will play again at the Wankhede provided they win this easily. Eyes emoji.
7th over: New Zealand 51-0 (Conway 34, Ravindra 17) Target 172. Conway wants this done before the 20 overs; forget about the rain. He climbs into Madushanka, clouting him through cover for four – difficult to hit a ball harder than that. And again, timed through mid-on for another boundary. That’s the New Zealand 50 on the board. Eaaasy.
“Adam, Good afternoon.” John Starbuck, my friend. “Do you know if the Guardian/Observer’s Sports Powers That Be are contemplating a book of OBO highlights from this World Cup? There’s plenty of incident, some tragic, comedic, wonderful performances, plus all the intrigue attending several teams and bags of local colour. In past OBO books we’ve seen lots of readers’ contributions, including all the previous sentence’s ideas. With the world-wide audiences of this year’s series it should make plenty of dosh too.”
I do not know the answer but isn’t a bad shout! Can include the tears I shed during the last 50-odd runs from Maxi the other night. My wife thought something bad was going on when I was howling at the end.
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6th over: New Zealand 42-0 (Conway 25, Ravindra 17) Target 172. Another busy over – ten taken off Dhananjaya who has come on to replace Theekshana. Ravindra loves taking down finger spin, hitting with the turn on this occasion over long off for SIX – gorgeous batting. Four other singles; no pressure whatsoever here from Sri Lanka up top.
“Hello Adam.” Afternoon, Krishnamorthy V. “Has someone run through the Duckworth-Lewis calculation? How many runs by what over to ensure a win in case of rain interruption?”
I can answer part two: 20 overs is game on. I’ll scan twitter for the DLS sheet that we’re given in the press box in situations like this. New Zealand will need to lose a lot of wickets to be in strife after this start.
5th over: New Zealand 32-0 (Conway 23, Ravindra 9) Target 172. Edged and through! Conventional nick with Conway looking to drive an out-swinging delivery from Madushanka, but Mendis the wicketkeeper can’t drag it in away to his left, where there is a second slip not a first. Sigh. A far more convincing shot later in the over, getting in line to a straighter ball, timing it past mid-on for his fourth four. Make it five: back-to-back boundaries to finish – help yourself stuff on his hip, pulled away. 14 off the over – they’re going for the quick kill here.
Simon Doull on TV comms gives a big tick to the Cricket Ground DJ (my dream job) for dropping in Dave Dobbyn after the second of the boundaries. NZ music is a rich OBO topic. I’ll open the batting.
4th over: New Zealand 18-0 (Conway 9, Ravindra 9) Target 172. A quieter over from The Theek, New Zealand’s southpaws both helping themselves to a driven single down to the sweeper at long-off.
I’ve just lunged into my Guardian inbox to see a great many emails from the last time I was on – the Maxwell Miracle Match. I’m still not quite over the emotion of it all and may never be. Here’s a sample.
“Hi Adam.” Peter Salmon, a joy to hear from you as ever. “Ok, I’ll bite, why were you at David Gower’s house? Just popped by to borrow the mower? Regular date to watch Loose Women? Or did he not know?”
Interviewing him a future edition of the podcast I just plugged in the above link. Given we had Gooch on for an hour and a half last year, only right that we get the great left-hander on as well. We went too long, of course – at the 90-minute mark we had only reached the 1989 Ashes and I had to dash off for this OBO, so we’ll do a part two.
3rd over: New Zealand 16-0 (Conway 8, Ravindra 8) Target 172. And sure enough, the ball after the failed review is driven for four brilliantly by Conway – he has a straight drive to die for, this fella.
NOT OUT! The body language from all involved seemed a snifter desperate, and so it proved: a clear gap. The bowler has done his captain a disservice here, talking him into it.
HAS CONWAY EDGED MADUSHANKA? The captain and ‘keeper Mendis took every one of his 15 seconds to send this to the DRS…
2nd over: New Zealand 12-0 (Conway 4, Ravindra 8) Target 172. Spin to win? If this is to be for Sri Lanka, bowled out so short of a credible tally (although a lot better than it looked when they were seven down in about an hour), their spinners will need to get busy right away. Theekshana, who has enjoyed some moments over the last six weeks but never really dominated, takes up the attack with his mystery spin. And by that, I mean he has the one he can squeeze out 20kph faster than his bog-standard offie. I said in my previous post that Madushanka is one of the finds of World Cup 2023, so it goes as well for Rachin Ravindra, who has made three tons despite sitting at No8 in New Zealand’s batting list at times in England just before they took off for India. To say he’s more threatening with the bat than the ball is one of the great cricketing understatements of the year. And he’s back into the groove: flicking a couple, cutting two more then ending the over with a pristine drive through the off-side field, out to the rope. Nice.
1st over: New Zealand 4-0 (Conway 4, Ravindra 0) Target 172 My man Madushanka, who has been just about the find of the tournament with his lovely left-arm over, has the new ball – he’s taken wickets right away twice in the comp, so expectations are high. But he’s up against Conway, more machine than man, who gets the Black Caps off the mark with a boundary to midwicket, pulled away with no fuss at all.
Thanks, Tim! Hello everyone. Just catching my breath – detailed updates are on the way as the teams make their way back on the field. If I say I’m running late because I’ve been at David Gower’s house, will you forgive me? Hope so. Drop me a line, ping me a tweet. Let’s go.
Time for me to clock off. Thanks for your company, correspondence and expressions of incredulity at Sri Lanka’s go-slow. Adam Collins will be with you in a while to see if the New Zealanders can knock off these runs before the rain descends.
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NZ need 172 to reach the semis (almost certainly)
Well that was a head-scratcher of an innings from Sri Lanka. Kusal Perera set off like a rocket while his partners were a succession of damp squibs. SL reached 100 in the 16th over. Then they decided to become a tribute act to Sunil Gavaskar in the first men’s World Cup in 1975.
They added 69 more off 30 overs of exquisite tedium, 43 of which came from the last-wicket pair. If there was a plan, it may have been to string the game out and hope for a no-result. That would be a travesty and a grave insult to Messrs Boult, Santner and Ravindra, who all bowled superbly.
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WICKET! Madushanka c Latham b Ravindra 19 (Sri Lanka 171 all out)
Thanks God for that!
46th over: Sri Lanka 170-9 (Theekshana 38, Madushanka 19) Southee continues and Sri Lanka step up the pace, collecting three singles. The last scoring shot for more than that was 34 balls ago. Another bored cameraperson (apologies for assuming the previous one was a man) spots a kite in a tree. The bird, not the toy.
45th over: Sri Lanka 167-9 (Theekshana 36, Madushanka 18) Another over, another two singles. Ravindra, who was expensive early on, now has 1 for 21 off seven. A cameraman who may just be bored out of his mind finds a handsome shot of a watery sunset behind the floodlights.
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44th over: Sri Lanka 165-9 (Theekshana 35, Madushanka 17) The twin spin thing is abandoned as Williamson reverts to Southee. His over goes for two singles. Urgency, thy name is not Theekshana.
43rd over: Sri Lanka 163-9 (Theekshana 34, Madushanka 16) It wasn’t that Williamson didn’t fancy Ravindra: it was that he fancied spin from both ends, for a change. Ravindra restricts the batters to a single, and you wonder when they are planning on introducing some urgency.
“I can’t believe this abomination has already lasted 40 overs,” says Krish. “A perfect chance for NewZealand to put the NRR beyond risk and start planning the dismantling of India. The only problem is they must factor in seven batsmen and seven bowlers.” True, but something tells me that even India, imperious as they are, would rather not face NZ.
42nd over: Sri Lanka 162-9 (Theekshana 33, Madushanka 16) Williamson decides to go back to spin. He has five overs of Ravindra up his sleeve but prefers to introduce Glenn Phillips’s off-breaks. The batters pick up three singles and the partnership creeps to 34 off 59 balls. It’s been game, but probably not a game-changer.
41st over: Sri Lanka 159-9 (Theekshana 31, Madushanka 15) Southee is back. He’s the only bowler to have conceded more than four an over today. It was eight an over earlier, but this one goes for just four – all from one stroke, a mow to leg by Madushanka.
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40th over: Sri Lanka 155-9 (Theekshana 31, Madushanka 11) Theekshana misses a lifter from Ferguson and takes a nasty blow, on his right forearm I think. He has some treatment, but seems OK to continue with a bloodyminded innings that has now dragged Sri Lanka into the final Powerplay.
“According to my weather app,” says Alastair Connor, “the risk of rain is largely past in Bangalore (still a 23% risk of a storm shower at 7.30). But what are the people at the ground saying? You mentioned low-flying birds… From here, it looks like the Lankans’ front-loading of their innings was a miscalculation!” It does. I’d love to tell you what people at the ground are saying, but I’m 5,000 miles away in north London.
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39th over: Sri Lanka 153-9 (Theekshana 30, Madushanka 10) Ravindra rattles through another over, conceding three singles – one of which takes Madushanka into double figures. Not content with being the leading wicket-taker in this World Cup, he is now turning into an all-rounder before our eyes.
38th over: Sri Lanka 150-9 (Theekshana 28, Madushanka 9) Until today, Dilshan Madushanka had never made more than five in an ODI (14 games, 14 runs). Facing Lockie Ferguson, he equals that career-best with a push into the on side for a single … and sails past it with a spoon over backward point for four!
37th over: Sri Lanka 144-9 (Theekshana 27, Madushanka 4) Two singles off Ravindra, who almost persuades Madushanka to slice to the cover sweeper.
36th over: Sri Lanka 142-9 (Theekshana 26, Madushanka 3) Theekshana cuts a bouncer, a good shot for just a single. Boult finishes with 10-3-37-3 after starting with 2-0-13-0.
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35th over: Sri Lanka 140-9 (Theekshana 25, Madushanka 3) The end is almost nigh as Theekshana, in his new all-action mode, top-edges Ravindra, but the ball manages to land in the empty space between three fielders on the off side.
34th over: Sri Lanka 137-9 (Theekshana 23, Madushanka 2) The sudden flood of runs continues as Theekshana hits Boult for a straight four with a forehand down the line.
“Answering Pete Salmon,” says Krish, “Pakistan and Afghanistan can still win their final games and then it is NZ, Pak and Afg all on 10 points leaving it to NRR.” Thanks for doing my job for me!
33rd over: Sri Lanka 132-9 (Theekshana 18, Madushanka 2) So instant success for Ravindra, standing in for Santner. And there was nearly a run-out next ball. But this partnership has already been perkier than its predecessor, with four singles off five balls. You spoil us!
Wicket! Chameera c Boult b Ravindra 1 (SL 128-9)
Now we see why Chameera was blocking. As soon as he tries a big shot, he gives a simple catch to backward point and calls time on a painful partnership of 15 off 52 balls.
Drinks: SL playing for time
32nd over: Sri Lanka 128-8 (Theekshana 16, Chameera 1) Boult reviews, thinking he’s got Theekshana LBW, but it was sliding down and Joel Wilson got it right. That’s yet another maiden, and time for drinks. The Sri Lankans don’t exactly need one: since the last break, they’ve made a somewhat puzzling 26 for 3.
“This ODI seems to have an identity crisis,” says Krish Krishnamoorthy. “Was running towards a T20 and now changed its direction towards a Test match (not the England version). May finally justify being an ODI if the combined innings reach 50 overs.”
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31st over: Sri Lanka 128-8 (Theekshana 16, Chameera 1) The batters manage three singles from Santner’s final over. He finishes with 10-2-22-2 and those figures, if anything, are slightly insulting. If there was an award for the best finger spinner in the World Cup, Santner would win it, pipping even Ravi Jadeja.
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30th over: Sri Lanka 125-8 (Theekshana 14, Chameera 0) Boult replaces Ferguson and drops a catch off his own bowling as Theekshana mistimes a straight push. That’s yet another maiden, the sixth of this peculiar innings. SL raced to 102 off the first 16 overs, then crawled to another 23 off 14.
“Just running the numbers and want to check,” says Pete Salmon. “An NZ win means the four finalists are locked in, yes? And in order? Making all the other games dead rubbers. I can’t care about the Champions Thingy – which, given the England team had never heard of it till a week ago, I feel no guilt about.”
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29th over: Sri Lanka 125-8 (Theekshana 14, Chameera 0) Santner continues, bowls a maiden to Theekshana and gets Mike Atherton purring with his flight and drift.
“Fielding on one’s knees?” says John Starbuck. “You can see why very tall people might do that when close to the batter, but it shouldn’t work for anyone else, unless injured; if injured, why out there anyway?” It’s the Kiwis – they’re probably trying to make a game of it.
28th over: Sri Lanka 125-8 (Theekshana 14, Chameera 0) Back to plan A for these two: just a single off this over from Ferguson, taken by Theekshana.
On a different tack, here’s Nick Parish. “As we seem to be in the Boring Middle Overs (no wicket for at least four overs),” he says, “I thought I’d ask if any other readers when coming to an OBO in mid-flow, as it were, like to play the game of reading the commentary without checking who’s doing the OBO, and then seeing if they can identify the OBOer from the style.” That is quite a niche game.
“I got you first guess this morning. Similar general style to Smyth and Harris, but fewer comparisons of wickets to long-forgotten ones from early 1990s Tests, and no stories of having set the school chemistry lab on fire.” Ha. “Thanks for all the good work, as always. Keeps me going through the working day.” Our pleasure. And you may be half-right.
27th over: Sri Lanka 124-8 (Theekshana 13, Chameera 0) I take it all back. Theekshana finally gets out of first gear and goes straight to fourth. Facing Santner, he lofts the first ball over mid-on and drives the second past extra-cover. Then the dots resume. Williamson, unruffled as ever, keeps his catchers in.
26th over: Sri Lanka 115-8 (Theekshana 4, Chameera 0) Same again as Ferguson continues: a single from Theekshana, who now has four runs from 26 balls; dots from Chameera, who has none off nine. SL have scored 13 for 3 off the last 10 overs!
25th over: Sri Lanka 114-8 (Theekshana 3, Chameera 0) Theekshana, facing Santner, sees the need to raise his game … and takes a single to long-off. Then Chameera is dropped at second slip by Glenn Phillips, because he starts on his knees and can’t spring to his right. Did anyone have that on their bingo card?
24th over: Sri Lanka 113-8 (Theekshana 2, Chameera 0) So SL have lost the one batter who was showing a bit of intent. What will Theekshana do now? He’s certainly played himself in.
“Kia ora Tim,” says Graeme Simpson. “Following your OBO on a wet evening here in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Last week, while our boys went on a rampage, your colleague Rob Smyth confidently predicted a Kiwi victory. I emailed him with a cautionary tale.
“In 1992, I was directing a very fast turn around, one hour profile of Marty Crowe in conversation with his brother, Jeff. Right in the middle of the World Cup.
“The guys had been on a roll. However, in the last round robin game in Christchurch, they stumbled against… Pakistan. On to the semis at Eden Park in Auckland. Solid total from the Kiwis. Confidence at lunch. Then, boom… Pakistan.
“My crew were on the park as Marty and the team did a lap of honour. Some in tears. Marty was staunch and the doco ended on a freeze frame of him waving to the crowd, soundtracked by Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits.” You couldn’t make it up.
“As I wrote to Rob, never count the Pakistanis out.
Tonight, be careful about counting Sri Lanka out…weather or not!”
Wicket! Karunaratne c Latham b Ferguson 6 (SL 113-8)
A waft, a nick, another wicket for Lockie Ferguson.
23rd over: Sri Lanka 113-7 (Karunaratne 6, Theekshana 2) Santner lets Karunaratne take a single first ball, then joins the dots. Theekshana has two runs off 20 balls. “More like Test cricket,” says a commentator who evidently hasn’t covered Tests in England lately.
Still, at least it’s not raining. The sun comes out to highlight the birds wheeling above the ground.
22nd over: Sri Lanka 112-7 (Karunaratne 5, Theekshana 2) Now even Lockie Ferguson is bowling maidens. Off the last six overs, Sri Lanka have scraped 10 runs.
21st over: Sri Lanka 112-7 (Karunaratne 5, Theekshana 2) Another masterly over from Santner, who has dreamy figures: 5-1-8-2.
20th over: Sri Lanka 111-7 (Karunaratne 5, Theekshana 1) Williamson, who dropped his second spinner for this game, summons his third one – Rachin Ravindra. Karunaratne, taking a liberty nobody has tried against Santner, plays a sweep for four.
19th over: Sri Lanka 105-7 (Karunaratne 0, Theekshana 0) After taking those two wickets, Santner now has two slips. And Sri Lanka have lost their last realistic hope of reaching 200. After being so fluent while Mathews was there, de Silva began to stutter without him.
WICKET! de Silva c Mitchell b Santner 19 (SL 105-7)
Action replay! Except that de Silva stays back before edging Santner to slip. The Mitchell brothers strike again.
18th over: Sri Lanka 105-6 (de Silva 19, Karunaratne 0) Southee gets five balls at the new batter, who is understandably circumspect. That’s a maiden, so Southee’s figures are now a far-fetched 5-1-42-1.
17th over: Sri Lanka 104-6 (de Silva 18, Karunaratne 0) Mathews departs, slowly. He may have to be timed in.
WICKET! Mathews c Mitchell b Santner 16 (SL 104-6)
Lovely bowling from Mitchell Santner! This is so slow we may have to call it his slower ball. It lures Mathews forward, turns, takes the edge and gives a catch to Daryl Mitchell at slip, who was only brought in there after that Latham drop.
16th over: Sri Lanka 102-5 (Mathews 14, de Silva 18) Kane Williamson springs a surprise by bringing Southee back. Is he going in for the kill? If so, it doesn’t work right away: de Silva sees a length ball and lofts it for a lovely straight six.
Meanwhile thoughts are turning to the next stage of the tournament. “Which format or what elements will Rohit blame, if there is a repeat of the 2019 semis?” wonders Krish Krishnamoorthy. “Do we get to see an action replay of the abandoned 1996 semis for the new-age kids who were not around then?”
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Drinks! NZ well on top
Kusal Perera had a ball after being dropped early on by Latham, but he just couldn’t find a dance partner. As things stand, NZ are heading for the semi-finals – unless the rain wrecks their hopes again.
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15th over: Sri Lanka 95-5 (Mathews 13, de Silva 12) Santner gets some turn, finds the edge and has Mathews dropped! By Latham again. He’s having a strange day.
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14th over: Sri Lanka 91-5 (Mathews 11, de Silva 10) Ferguson continues, over the wicket this time. When he drops short, de Silva is ready with a cracking cut. It looks as if he’s going to play his shots while Mathews drops anchor.
A stat box sheds some light on NZ’s performances in the Powerplay. In their early wins, they were both incisive and thrifty. In their subsequent run of defeats, they were neither of those things. Today, they managed one of them.
The Sri Lankans have done something no team had done before in 52 years of one-day internationals.
Sri Lanka's 74 for 5 is the highest ODI powerplay score by a team which has lost five or more wickets in first 10 overs (excluding NZ's 90-6 after 10, chasing in rain-affected 22-over game v Aus in 2009).
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) November 9, 2023
No team had lost 5+ wickets & scored over a run a ball in ODI powerplay.
13th over: Sri Lanka 85-5 (Mathews 10, de Silva 5) Boult finally gets a rest as Williamson turns to spin. It’s Mitchell Santner and he’s on the spot right away with his slow left-arm, going for just a single.
“With a bit of weather around,” says Bob O’Hara, “is Sri Lanka’s best hope now to block for another 40 overs without worrying about runs, and hope the rain comes before 20 overs of the New Zealand innings?
“To do this properly, they need to slow the game down. The next time a wicket falls, they need someone who knows how to be ready only after 1min 59sec.” Ha.
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12th over: Sri Lanka 84-5 (Mathews 9, de Silva 5) Ferguson goes round the wicket to the right-handed Mathews, allowing him to flip a short ball for four to fine leg. The score predictor on the screen is giving Sri Lanka 209. Given that four of their top five scored 17 between them, that seems a little flattering.
11th over: Sri Lanka 78-5 (Mathews 4, de Silva 4) Boult carries on and Mathews opens his account with a cover-drive for four. It’s his only scoring shot so far from 10 balls, but then time is on his side.
Perera’s whirlwind of an innings came off 28 balls, with nine fours and two sixes. The writing was on the wall, though: he failed to find the boundary for five whole balls after reaching his fifty.
10th over: Sri Lanka 74-5 (Mathews 0, de Silva 4) Dhananjaya de Silva, who would not have expected to be batting in the Powerplay, gets off the mark with a cool-headed pull for four. At this rate, SL could be all out in 20 overs. Can Mathews steady the ship?
WICKET!!! Perera c Santner b Ferguson 51 (SL 70-5)
The big one! Perera goes aerial again, but skies it and the only question is whether the New Zealanders will all leave it to each other. Mitchell Santner, at deep mid-off, sees the danger and takes the catch. That’s the end of a spectacular innings.
9th over: Sri Lanka 70-4 (Perera 51, Mathews 0) So Boult has 5-0-26-3. His spell has been A Little Bit Of Everything.
Updated
Angelo Matthews not timed out!
He’s trotting to the middle. Soon, he’ll be doing an ad for Pizza Hut.
WICKET!! Asalanka LBW b Boult 8 (SL 70-4)
Not given on the field, but Willlianson opts to review and he is spot on! Asalanka played outside a fullish ball, angled into him, and what sounded like bat-pad was actually pad-pad. NZ back in charge!
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Fifty to Perera!
8th over: Sri Lanka 70-3 (Perera 51, Asalanka 8) Kane Williamson had been sticking to his old guns, but now he turns to a younger one, Lockie Ferguson. Perera doesn’t care who’s bowling: he sees some width and drives yet another four to reach a scintillating fifty off just 22 balls, the fastest ever against NZ at a World Cup. Half of those 22 deliveries have gone for at least four.
7th over: Sri Lanka 61-3 (Perera 47, Asalanka 3) Boult manages to keep Perera quiet for two balls – and then the next two go for four. One is a bouncer, which brings a top-edged hook; the other a full toss, eased back past the bowler.
6th over: Sri Lanka 52-3 (Perera 39, Asalanka 2) Southee continues and so does the one-man show from Perera. Another swing over long-on, a chip over extra, a punch past cover, and a whip to midwicket: six, four, four, four! He has faced 17 balls and dispatched eight of them to the boundary – six fours and two sixes.
We knew this might end up as a 20-over match, but it has started like one too.
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5th over: Sri Lanka 34-3 (Perera 21, Asalanka 2) So Perera has 21 off 11 balls, while the rest of the top four managed 9 for 3 off 17. And Boult, after that poor second over, has 2 for 17. The first wicket was his 50th in World Cups, a New Zealand record.
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WICKET!! Samarawickrama c Mitchell b Boult 1 (SL 32-3)
Another! And it’s the in-form Samarawickrama. Boult pushes him back with a sharp bouncer, then pitches it up and gets just what he was looking for – a tentative push and a simple catch at slip.
WICKET! Mendis c Ravindra b Boult 6 (Sri Lanka 30-2)
I can say that again … Mendis tries to join in the fun with a swish to leg and only succeeds in getting a leading edge that carries all the way to third man. Well held by Rachin Ravindra, who can do no wrong.
4th over: Sri Lanka 30-1 (Perera 20, Mendis 6) Perera is even tucking into Southee now. He targets long-on and goes four, six – then another four in the opposite direction, past slip. It’s all happening!
3rd over: Sri Lanka 15-1 (Perera 6, Mendis 5) After that let-off, Perera decides to ride his luck. He flashes hard and gets four over gully, then tries to go over extra-cover and mistimes it for a single. After bowling two wides, Boult finds his line and draws an edge from Mendis, but his hands are soft and it runs away for another four.
2nd over: Sri Lanka 3-1 (Perera 1, Mendis 0) That was a fabulous first over from Tim Southee. First ball: nick from Nissanka, not far from slip. Fourth ball: nick from Perera, spilled by Tom Latham behind the stumps. Fifth ball: another nick from Nissanka, atonement for Latham.
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WICKET! Nissanka c Latham b Southee 2 (Sri Lanka 3-1)
A regulation nick … except that there had been one the ball before, from Nissanka, and Latham dropped it!
1st over: Sri Lanka 1-0 (Nissanka 1, Perera 0) Boult is bowling to Pathum Nissanka, who tends to get either 40 or a duck. He’s watchful, wary of the swing back into him, which is definitely there. The only run comes off the edge as Boult angles the last ball across Nissanka and he squirts it into the covers, where Glenn Philips makes a good half-stop.
The anthems have been sung and now the new ball is in the hands of Trent Boult.
A word to anyone who has never emailed us on the OBO. Now would be quite a good time.
A prediction
Always a mug’s game, but sometimes worth a go… Angelo Mathews will not be timed out today. And neither will anyone else.
Teams in full
Sri Lanka 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Perera, 3 Kusal Mendis (capt, wk), 4 Sadeera Samarawickrama, 5 Charith Asalanka, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Dhananjaya de Silva, 8 Chamika Karunaratne, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Dilshan Madushanka.
New Zealand 1 Devon Conway, 2 Rachin Ravindra, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Daryl Mitchell, 5 Mark Chapman, 6 Glenn Phillips, 7 Tom Latham (wk), 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Trent Boult.
Teams in brief
One change on each side. New Zealand leave out their second spinner, Ish Sodhi, and bring in the pace of Lockie Ferguson. Sri Lanka replace one seamer with another as Chamika Karunaratne comes in for Kasun Rajitha, who pays the price for being expensive against Bangladesh.
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Toss: NZ win and bowl
Kusal Mendis calls heads, it’s tails, and Kane Williamson opts to chase. “Little bit of weather around.”
Weather latest
It’s not raining!
Preamble
Morning everyone and welcome to the 41st match in this World Cup. It could well have been a dead rubber, but turns out to be live and dangerous for both teams.
New Zealand, who are fourth, need a win to squeeze into the semi-finals after having a tournament of two halves, winning their first four games and losing the last four. They are level on eight points with Pakistan and Afghanistan, but ahead of both on net run-rate. The dubious reward for winning that three-horse race is a meeting with India, who’ve been so dominant that they threaten to ruin their own party. But NZ won’t mind being the underdogs and if any non-Indian has earned a place in the knock-outs, it’s Rachin Ravindra.
Sri Lanka, who are ninth, need a win to secure a place in the 2025 Champions Trophy, which has become the consolation prize in this tournament. They’re in a four-horse race for the last two spots with England (seventh), Bangladesh (eighth) and the Netherlands (tenth), who are all tied on four points. You could put them all together and they still wouldn’t beat India, whose net run rate would blow them out of the water.
The table is almost too neat to be true: one team on 16 points, two on 12, three on eight, and four on four. And it could be messed up today by the weather. The rain, which deprived New Zealand of a probable win against Pakistan. now threatens to obliterate this game.
This would be bad news for both teams, giving them a point apiece and leaving them liable to be leapfrogged. That point might be enough for Sri Lanka, if two of their fellow-strugglers were to fall at the final fence. But it would only be enough for NZ if both their neighbours lost – Pakistan to England and Afghanistan to South Africa.
Enough of these permutations. Weather permitting, the toss will be at 8am GMT, so I’ll be back just after that with some news.
