New Zealand's centurymaker, Scott Styris (right), sits on the ground next to Sri Lanka's wicketkeeper, Kumar Sangakkara, after he lost his balance during their Super Eights match in St. George's yesterday. Sri Lanka won by six wickets. - ReutersST. GEORGE'S, Grenada (AP):
KUMAR SANGAKKARA and Sanath Jayasuriya hit half centuries yesterday to lead Sri Lanka to a surprisingly easy six-wicket victory over New Zealand and a share of the lead in the World Cup Super Eights.
Sangakkara hit 69 not out and Jayasuriya made 64 to help earn Sri Lanka the two points that took it to eight in the standings, the same as the Kiwis and tournament favourites Australia.
Sri Lanka reached 222 for seven wickets at Grenada National Stadium and made almost certain of their place in the semi-finals. New Zealand are still likely to make the last four, but have matches against Australia and fourth-placed South Africa to come.
New Zealand had been aiming for their national record-equalling 10th straight win but struggled to 219 for seven. Several dropped catches and a raft of unnecessary extras at the start of Sri Lanka's reply then contributed to the defeat.
Scott Styris had hit 111 not out for his fourth one-day century in an otherwise disappointing batting performance by New Zealand.
Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan each took three wickets for Sri Lanka, the former removing Stephen Fleming and Ross Taylor in the first three overs.
Fleming had won the toss and chose to bat. But the decision looked to be a poor one when Vaas dismissed the New Zealand captain and Taylor on his way to figures of 3-33.
With Fleming having apparently misread the pitch, Sri Lanka made light of the absence of pace bowler Lasith Malinga, who was out after damaging left ankle ligaments in training.
Sri Lanka were then 13-0 before scoring a run with the bat after five wides, four byes andfour leg byes in the first nine balls.
Dropped catch
Fleming dropped Upul Tharanga at point when he was on eight and the opener was out for 11 later in the same fifth over when he failed to cleanly strike James Franklin's delivery and hit it to Bond, who took a flying catch on the boundary.
Sangakkara was next in and was also dropped, this time on nine by Craig McMillan at mid on from a slower ball by Bond.
Mark Gillespie came on to bowl his first over of the tournament after recovering from a viral infection and it went for 18. Jayasuriya hit his first two balls for 10, taking Sri Lanka past 50 at a rate of better than a run a ball, and Fleming dropped Jayasuriya again shortly after.
Sri Lanka got to 100 from 112 balls in the 18th over, by which time New Zealand had been 63-2.
The mistakes kept coming from a New Zealand team usually among the best fielding sides in the world. Oram failed to cut out a routine ball along the floor on the on side at third man, conceding a boundary.
The 100-run stand was broken when Jayasuriya edged Jacob Oram to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum, who was standing up to the stumps. Jayasuriya hit one six and five fours in his 80-ball 64.
Daniel Vettori, the only spinner in the Black Caps' side after Gillespie replaced Jeetan Patel, got rid of Mahela Jayawardene (15) and Chamara Silva (23) to make it 180 for four.
Sangakkara and Tillekeratne Dilshan, who made 14, then guided Sri Lanka to victory with a sedate procession of singles until Sangakkara hit the winning runs with a four.
New Zealand innings
| S. Fleming lbw Vaas | 0 |
| P. Fulton c Silva b Vaas | 28 |
| R. Taylor c Sangakkara b Vaas | 0 |
| S. Styris not out | 111 |
| C. McMillan c Silva b Muralitharan | 1 |
| J. Oram c Maharoof b Dilshan | 31 |
| B. McCullum lbw Muralitharan | 1 |
| D. Vettori c Silva b Muralitharan | 5 |
| J. Franklin not out | 25 |
| Extras: (2b, 2lb, 8w, 5nb) | 17 |
| TOTAL: (for seven wkts - 50 overs) | 219 |
Fall: 1-1, 2-4, 3-71, 4-77, 5-141, 6-145, 7-155. Bowling: Chaminda Vaas 9-2-33-3 (1w), Dilhara Fernando 7-2-31-0 (3nb, 1w), Farveez Maharoof 6-0-31-0 (1nb), Muttiah Muralitharan 10-0-32-3 (1nb, 2w), Sanath Jayasuriya 10-0-44-0, Tillekeratne Dilshan 8-1-41-1. Sri Lanka innings S. Jayasuriya c McCullum b Oram | 64 |
| U. Thuranga c Bond b Franklin | 11 |
| K. Sangakkara not out | 69 |
| M. Jayawardene c sub (Marshall) b Vettori | 15 |
| C. Silva c Bond b Vettori | 23 |
| T. Dilshan not out | 14 |
| Extras: | 26 |
| TOTAL: (for four wkts - 45.1 overs) | 222 |
Fall: 1-30, 2-130, 3-152, 4-180. Bowling: James Franklin 8-0-49-1 (1nb, 2w), Shane Bond 8-0-26-0, Mark Gillespie 6.1-0-41-0 (4nb), Daniel Vettori 10-0-35-2 (1nb, 1w), Jacob Oram 6-0-31-1 (2nb), Scott Styris 7-1-28-0. Result: Sri Lanka won by six wickets. STANDINGS
| P | W | T | L | NR | Pts |
| Australia | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Sri Lanka | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| New Zealand | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| South Africa | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| England | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| West Indies | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| Bangladesh | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| Ireland | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0
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