Plans and blueprints ready

If Lanka showed bowling power, Black Caps displayed their ability to come out of a hole

It was a contest between two teams that have a lot in common. Both teams are led by captains with multi-dimensional players at their disposal, shrewd thinkers with a deep understanding of the modern game and an unpretentious but effective gameplan. But, most importantly, Sri Lanka and New Zealand are seen as the two teams that the world cricket banks on to make this World Cup something more than a ritualistic four-yearly exercise in which the guys wearing yellow pose for pictures with the silverware in hand.

If all goes well 8212; that8217;s asking a lot at this World Cup 8212; Lanka and New Zealand might meet in Kingston on April 24 to fight for the right to play Australia in the final. Taking today8217;s batting show 8212; 219/7 in 50 overs 8212; as an aberration and recalling the famous 3-0 whitewash of the world champions, one is aware that the Black Caps do possess a plan to beat the Aussies.

And watching the Sri Lankans on field, one became aware that there is an effective bowling formula with them that can fox the best of batting line-ups. Depth in batting and form wouldn8217;t matter as it can be tweaked depending on the situation with a number of dimensions. Despite the fact that their highest wicket-taker in the tournament Lasith Malinga sat out, one got a glimpse of the Lankan blueprints. The day starts with a diagonally opposite pacers starting the proceedings. Left-armer Chaminda Vaas cleverly mixing it up with subtle change of pace, alters the length, sneaks in the off-cutter but religiously sticks to the disciplined 120-kph plus speed range. Sharing the new ball with him is Dilhara Fernando 8212; quick and hitting-the-deck kind of conventional bowler who clocks in the range of 140-kph plus consistently.

If wickets fall 8212; they did today as Vaas accounted for Stephen Fleming, Ross Taylor and Peter Fulton 8212; Mahela Jayawardene prefers to sharing the first 20 overs among the three pacers. It was Ferveez Maharoof today, but generally it would have been Malinga. Not bringing the spinner early on is a set formula that most teams employ, but the Lankans juggle their pacers 8212; Jayawardene did it today 8212; using them in short spells and changing their ends.

At the end of over No. 20, it8217;s time for Muttiah Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya warming up to bowl. This is the famous Lankan mid-over squeeze. Jayasuriya wouldn8217;t give you any leeway and hitting Murali is fraught with high risks. As they bowl in tandem, there is always a bait dangling in front of the batsmen. Murali, keeping the cover and extra cover open, challenges the batsmen to play against the spin, while Jayasuriya bowling to an unguarded point and gully fence, tempts the batsmen to cut his fastish leg-breaks and armers.

At death, Jayawardene goes for the in-form bowler or it could be even the occasional offie Tillakaratne Dilshan as was the case today. But the final overs are the prerogative of Fernando and Vaas who are best equipped to prevent the slog. For Jayawardene, everything goes according to the book with Vaas taking top-order wickets, Murali taking care of the middle order and Dilshan doing much more than is expected from a part-timer.

But despite the modest show, New Zealand show they can manage to stay afloat. Scott Styris8217; innings of 111 not out from 157 balls and partnerships with Fulton, Oram and Franklin indicates how a total Black Caps8217; collapse is a rarity.

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New Zealand: S Fleming lbw b 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 b Muralitharan 1, D Vettori c Silva b Muralitharan 5, J Franklin not out 25.

Extras: 2b, 2lb, 8w, 5nb 17. Total for 7 wickets 219.

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-4, 3-71, 4-77, 5-141, 6-145, 7-155.

Bowling: Vaas 9-2-33-3, Fernando 7-2-31-0, Maharoof 6-0-31-0, Muralitharan 10-0-32-3, Jayasuriya 10-0-44-0, Dilshan 8-1-41-1.