Sri Lanka's captain, Mahela Jayawardene, signs autographs for fans after their World Cup semi-final victory over New Zealand at Sabina Park on Tuesday. - Reuters

KINGSTON, Jamaica (Reuters):

SRI LANKAN captain Mahela Jayawardene scored a match-winning century but handed the credit to his bowling attack after Tuesday's 81-run victory over New Zealand in their World Cup semi-final.

Offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan took four wickets to rip the heart out of the New Zealand middle-order after paceman Lasith Malinga returned from his injury layoff with an outstanding opening spell.

Muralitharan grabbed three wickets in six balls to leave the Kiwis looking clueless against his cunning spin.

"When you have a guy like that you know that your wicket-taking options are better," said the skipper, who hit an unbeaten 115 in his team's total of 289 for five.

"But he is a human as well, he can't do it all the time. He comes up with some really good efforts for us though.

"With him, Lasith and (Chaminda) Vaas I think I have better options now and obviously as a captain that is a good position to be in."

While Muralitharan's spell turned the game in Sri Lanka's direction, Malinga had set the tone with a wicket-maiden in his first over. He claimed the scalp of New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming.

Malinga had missed Sri Lanka's last three Super Eight matches due to an ankle injury but Jayawardene said he was not at all taken aback by his opening bowler's return.

"I wasn't surprised. The guy has been putting in a lot of effort and he was very upset that he wasn't playing, wasn't part of the team," he said.

"In the last two practice sessions we saw him looking really eager and he was doing things that he has done before.

Big heart

"He has a big heart and he has improved quite a lot as a cricketer in the last 12 months and I think his hard work has paid off."

The vital wicket of Scott Styris, who was looking threatening on 37, came not from one of Sri Lanka's front-line bowlers but back-up man Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Jayawardene said that surprise allowed him to turn the heat on New Zealand.

"Once the field went back after the powerplays I thought I could sneak in maybe four or five overs but I never expected Dilshan to pick up a wicket that early," he said.

"That was a bonus; once we got that, 'Murali' came and asked me: 'Shall we have a go at the batsmen for a few overs and try and pick up a few wickets?'

"That was a good time for us to put pressure on New Zealand and he picked up two wickets in that next over so everything worked pretty well. Nothing was planned, everything just happened so quickly."

India rooting for Sri Lanka

MUMBAI, India (Reuters):

"COME CHEER the Lankans as they take on the Kiwis. So what if India is not there?" read an advertisement in a popular Mumbai shopping mall where the cricket World Cup semi-final between Sri Lanka and New Zealand was being shown on a big screen.

Come Saturday and cricket-crazy India, with a billion-plus population, will be cheering for the last sub-continent team left in the competition in the Caribbean.

Sri Lanka, 1996 winners, beat New Zealand by 81 runs on Tuesday for a place in the final.

Former champions India, touted as favourites back home by television channels and media outlets in the run-up to the event, bowed out in the group phase along with Pakistan and were followed by Bangladesh in the second round.

Sri Lanka's spirited performances, however, have kept alive World Cup interest in India.

"Being a sub-continental team I would be rooting for Sri Lanka as I identify with the players and it's close to us," Pankaj, a cricket fan in his twenties in New Delhi, said yesterday.

"Also, Sri Lanka always supports India in cricketing matters."

Romit Sen, a teenager from New Delhi, said he was proud to see a sub-continent side in the last stages of the Cup.

"It's a matter of pride for us that a sub-continental team can give a fight to the so-called cricketing champions," he said.