Sri Lanka pip England by two runs in nail-biting encounter

St Peter's, Antigua, Apr 5 (UNI) Amid nerve-wrecking tension and high drama, Sri Lanka held their nerves to pip England by two runs and record their second win in the Super Eight league of cricket World Cup at Sir Vivian Richards grounds here.

The game which looked any easy picking for Sri Lanka at one stage became a heart stopper as man-of-the-match Ravi Bopara and Paul Nixon staged a stunning rareguard action putting on 87 runs for the seventh wicket in 15.2 overs to bring England tantalisingly close to an amazing win.

But, experienced Dilhara Fernando held his nerves and bowled the last delivery superbly to frustrate England's outrageous victory bid.

Put in to bat, Sri Lanka batsmen struggled aganst England bowling and were all out for 235 in exactly 50 overs and in reply, England scored 233 for eight.

At one stage, England were 133 for 6 off 33.3 overs but young Bopara and Nixon put up a dogged batting to take the score to 220 before Nixon was out.

England needed 15 runs from seven balls and a ball later, the target was further narrowed to 12 from the last six balls.

A desperate Jayawardane brought in experienced Fernando into the attack but Bopara hit him over short fine-leg for four off his second ball and then took two runs to bring his first one-day fifty.

Two singles on the next two balls put Bopara back on strike with three runs required of the last delivery. Bopara tried to blast Fernando in the extra cover region only to miss the ball which uprooted the stumps and end the young man's memorable innings as well as England's hope of two points.

Prior to that, Nixon, with a crafty 42 at a run-a-ball, put England back into the match after they were left tottering with the top order collapse.

Bopara's 52 came off 53 balls and included four boundaries while Nixon's 42 included one six and two boundaries.

Sri Lanka now have six points, four from three matches in the Super League and two they carried forward from the group stage while England have only two points from two matches in the Super League.

England's chase started disastrously as they lost both the openers in a space of 5.2 overs with 11 runs on the scoreboard.

Skipper Michael Vaughan was the first to go without scoring as he edged Chaminda Vass and Kumar Sangakkara took a fine catch behind the stumps and then Lasith Malinga sent other opener packing as he trapped Ed Joyce leg before when the batsman was on 10 (21 balls, 1x4).

However, Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen not only foiled Sri Lankan bid for another quick breakthrough but batted solidly to raise the hopes of English victory.

On a track which had no devil, the two had no problems negotiating seam and spin as they executed some beautiful shots.

Pietersen was more aggressive as he tried to dominate the bowling. He hit Vaas for a huge six and also belted other bowlers.

Bell, on the other end, also looked comfortable and the scoreboard moved rapidly as England reached 101 for 2 in 25.2 overs.

The two batsmen had added 90 runs in 20 overs and looked all set for a big partnership when in a freak incident Bell was run out and this dismissal proved to be the turning point as the England batting suddenly disintegrated.

Bell scored 47 off 71 balls with the help of four boundaries in 5.3 overs and 25 runs later, England suffered another bodyblow when Muralitharan caught well set Pietersen off his own bowling. The batsman made 80-ball 58 which included one six and five boundaries.

And then two more wickets fell in quick succession when Fernando in his fifth over dismissed Andrew Flintoff (2) and Paul Collingwood (14) and they were reeling at 133 for 6.

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