Important match this, almostl ike a rehersal of the Semi's. Malinga is gone but the bookies here giving Srilanka 10:8 odds to win...my money is on NZ. What ya all think?

__________________

With Malinga gone - New Zealand should win, but who knows in this world Cup.

__________________
Ern

NZ won the toss and Fleming elected to bat. Would he have done that if the Slinga was playing? Either way, I think NZ should win this one. I expect the SL batsmen to find Bond a handful.

Fleming has done a Vaughan and departed early, leg-before to Vaas for a duck though from CricInfo it seems he was struck outside the line playing a shot - normally the batsman is given the benefit of the doubt in that situation but Asad Rauf saw differently. New Zealand are 4/1 after 2 overs.

Sorry, 4/2 after 2.1 overs, Vaas has had Taylor caught behind, apparently quite brilliantly by Kumar Sangakkara.

33/2 in the 12th over. Fulton & Styris are trying to consolidate. Looks like the ball has lost some shine and Maharoof seems to be less effective than Malinga would have been.

Vaas and Murali have removed Fulton and Mcmillan respectively, to leave New Zealand 115/4 after 31 overs. Styris is holding it together on 63, and if he and Oram can put together a fluent partnership there could still be a score of around 230-250, especially with McCullum, Vettori and Franklin still to come. However, Oram is often shaky against quality spin.

Very strange game so far with Sri Lanka claiming the early points removing Fleming and Taylor for 4 runs - Then the Kiwi's regroup with Fulton and Styris - Then Sri Lanka come back with another two wickets to grab the game again, getting Fulton and McMillan - and now you have Styris and Oram trying to rebuild again.

They way things are going New Zealand will struggle and get somewhere between 225-250, not sure if that will be enough to win with.

New Zealand lose there 5th wicket for 144 as Oram tries to step on the gas and is decieved by Dilshan to hit it high rather than far.

New Zealand now ill be lucky to get to the 225 mark now.

Its getting ugly for the Kiwi's now as Sri Lanka are taking a commanding hold on this match - 158 for 7 in the 42nd over

Well, they've got past 200 with Styris getting his century at the same time. May not be big enough a score, but with Bond and Vettori around, you never know. Sri Lanka struggled with the bat against South Africa and England.