England stroll into World Twenty20 final

Gros Islet (St.Lucia), - England strolled into the World Twenty20 final with a seven-wicket win over last year’s finalists Sri Lanka in the semi-final here Thursday.

England bowlers put up an excellent performance to restrict Sri Lanka to 128 for six after Kumar Sangakkara opted to bat on a sluggish track at the Beausejour Stadium.

Angelo Matthews was the top scorer with 58 off 45 balls while medium pacer Chris Broad was the Man of the Match with his two for 21 from four overs.

For England batsmen it turned out to be an easy task as they made 132 for three in 16 overs after ‘new dad’ Kevin Pietersen made an unbeaten 42 of 26 balls.

English openers Craig Kieswetter (39) and Michael Lumb (33) took them to a flying start with their 68-run stand. Kieswetter hit five fours and two sixes in his 29 ball innings while Lumb smashed four fours and one six during his 26-ball stay.

Sri Lanka opened the bowling with the spinners and after two quiet overs from Tillekaratne Dilshan and Ajantha Mendis, Lumb broke the shackles by hitting off-spinner Suraj Randiv for two consecutive fours in the third over.

England openers were never in a hurry and took their time to settle down on the slow track. With the spinners proving ineffective, Sangakkara introduced pace but this time Kieswetter spanked Matthews for a four and a six in his first over as the runs flowed in freely.

Lasith Malinga rattled Kieswetter’s stumps with an inswinging yorker while Thisara Pereira, despite being hit by two consecutive fours, held his nerves to castle Lumb in the very next delivery.

Pietersen then played a breezy innings and took England home safely. He struck three fours and two sixes and ended in style by hitting Malinga for a six and a four in successive deliveries in the 16th over.

Earlier in the day, Mathews struggled to reach his 58 with only three fours and one six. But his crucial innings helped Sri Lanka cross the 100-run mark after they lost the first three wickets for 26 runs.

Sri Lanka then found themselves 47 for the loss of their top four in the 10th over. It could have been worse when Mathews survived a run out on 18, with the score 58 for three.

But Mathews kept going almost till the end, eventually run out in the penultimate ball but his efforts were not enough to take Sri Lanka to the final.