Kiwis regain poise

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados
New Zealand restored their World Cup morale after Tuesday's surprise defeat by Bangladesh when theybeat a powerful Sri Lanka side by 18 runs on Friday.
Despite a glitteringcentury from Sri Lankan opener Upul Tharanga, the Black Caps clinched victory inthe teams' final warm-up match in the penultimate over at the 3Ws Oval justoutside Bridgetown.
On the face of it, 1996 winners Sri Lanka posed a farstickier problem for the Kiwis at the 3Ws Oval than Bangladesh three daysearlier, but this time New Zealand attacked the bowling from the start in their285 for eight from 50 overs.
They were helped by a solid platform established byopening pair, captain Stephen Fleming and Lou Vincent, who made 131 for thefirst wicket.Fleming was the first to depart, attempting one hoist over mid-offtoo many to be comfortably caught by Farveez Maharoof off Nuwan Kulasekara'sbowling for 65.
Vincent carried on the assault on the Sri Lankanattack and had advanced the score to 175 when he was undone by a direct hit fromthe covers by captain Mahela Jayewardene to be run out for 70 from 105 balls.Peter Fulton was quick to take up the attack and he needed just 47 balls tostrike a quickfire 59 which included three sixes and ensured they did not losemomentum through the middle order.None of the Sri Lankan bowlers, who had madesuch short work of Scotland on Monday, came off the field with much credit.
SriLanka's main threat, spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, took more than his fair shareof punishment in a 10-over spell which went for 64 with only one wicket to showfor his efforts.
Tharanga clearly fancied his chances of helping his sideoverhaul a fairly daunting total on a wicket described earlier in the week byFleming as slow enough to be "tacky".He tucked into the Kiwi attack, which wasmissinge resting spinner Daniel Vettori, before departing for 106.
Sri Lanka bat all the way down to 11 but wickets continued to fell regularly and JamesFranklin finished off their resistance with a direct hit to run out Kulusekara.The win will put the Kiwis, who lost to Bangladesh by two wickets on Tuesday, inconfident mood before facing England in their opening Group C clash in St Lucia next Friday.