Malinga serves up unique quartet

ST JOHN’S – Fast bowler Lasith Malinga took an unprecedented four wickets in four balls on Wednesday to take Sri Lanka agonisingly close to victory over South Africa in their Cricket World Cup Super Eights thriller.

Malinga’s heroics set up the most exciting finale yet between two serious contenders in a tournament which had been overshadowed by the death of Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer on March 18 and marred by a number of one-sided group matches. With no major developments announced in the murder investigation of Woolmer continuing in Kingston, Jamaica, the second-round action in Guyana – the “Super Eights” – grabbed most of the attention on day 16 of the seven-week tournament.Malinga’s low-slung, slingshot action accounted for Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis and Makhaya Ntini from successive deliveries when South Africa appeared to be coasting to victory in Georgetown.No player in test or one-day internationals had previously taken four wickets in four balls.With two runs still required and only one wicket in hand, tailender Robin Peterson edged an attempted drive past slip off Malinga to take his team to victory with 10 balls to spare.There was no such drama earlier on Wednesday in Antigua where world champions Australia completed a 103-run win over West Indies at the new Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in a second-stage match interrupted by rain.Australia scored 322 for six on Tuesday before persistent drizzle forced the match into a second day.When play resumed on Wednesday captain Brian Lara, who top-scored with 77, was the only West Indies’ batsman to do himself justice in a total of 219.Sri Lanka, who with Australia, West Indies and New Zealand took two points through from the first round, capitulated for 209 to the lively pace bowling of Charl Langeveldt who recorded a career-best five for 39.The 1996 champions slumped to 98 for five in the 25th over before Tillakaratne Dilshan (58) and Russel Arnold (50) salvaged the innings.When South Africa batted captain Graeme Smith with 59 and Jacques Kallis, dropped twice on his way to 86, set the world number one side up for an apparently easy victory at Providence Stadium.Then Malinga, who whips the ball into the batsmen at express pace from a side-arm slinging action struck in the 45th over.Malinga first yorked Pollock for 13 and bowled Hall with the final delivery of the over without scoring.In his next over Kallis was caught behind and Ntini bowled for nought from the first and second balls.The tournament concludes with the final in Barbados on April 28.Nampa-ReutersWith no major developments announced in the murder investigation of Woolmer continuing in Kingston, Jamaica, the second-round action in Guyana – the “Super Eights” – grabbed most of the attention on day 16 of the seven-week tournament.Malinga’s low-slung, slingshot action accounted for Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis and Makhaya Ntini from successive deliveries when South Africa appeared to be coasting to victory in Georgetown.No player in test or one-day internationals had previously taken four wickets in four balls.With two runs still required and only one wicket in hand, tailender Robin Peterson edged an attempted drive past slip off Malinga to take his team to victory with 10 balls to spare.There was no such drama earlier on Wednesday in Antigua where world champions Australia completed a 103-run win over West Indies at the new Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in a second-stage match interrupted by rain.Australia scored 322 for six on Tuesday before persistent drizzle forced the match into a second day.When play resumed on Wednesday captain Brian Lara, who top-scored with 77, was the only West Indies’ batsman to do himself justice in a total of 219.Sri Lanka, who with Australia, West Indies and New Zealand took two points through from the first round, capitulated for 209 to the lively pace bowling of Charl Langeveldt who recorded a career-best five for 39.The 1996 champions slumped to 98 for five in the 25th over before Tillakaratne Dilshan (58) and Russel Arnold (50) salvaged the innings.When South Africa batted captain Graeme Smith with 59 and Jacques Kallis, dropped twice on his way to 86, set the world number one side up for an apparently easy victory at Providence Stadium.Then Malinga, who whips the ball into the batsmen at express pace from a side-arm slinging action struck in the 45th over.Malinga first yorked Pollock for 13 and bowled Hall with the final delivery of the over without scoring.In his next over Kallis was caught behind and Ntini bowled for nought from the first and second balls.The tournament concludes with the final in Barbados on April 28.Nampa-Reuters