Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan (bottom) is congratulated by teammates after taking the wicket of England's Kevin Pietersen during their Super Eights match in St. John's yesterday. Sri Lanka won by two runs. - Reuters ST JOHN'S, Antigua (AP):
SRI LANKA edged England in a thrilling finish yesterday to win their Super Eights match by two runs and take a huge step towards the World Cup semi-finals.
Sri Lanka spinners Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan and Tillekeratne Dilshan restricted England in the middle of the innings, before a quick-fire seventh-wicket partnership of 87 between Ravi Bopara and Paul Nixon gave England an unexpected chance.
Nixon was eventually out for 42 in the penultimate over and England needed three off the last ball.
Seamer Dilhara Fernando also took three wickets and bowled Ravi Bopara for 52 to make it 233 for eight and clinch victory.
Sajid Mahmood had taken four wickets and Andrew Flintoff three as England dismissed Sri Lanka for what appeared to be a low 235.
Slow scoring
England then scored slowly against a tight attack as the pitch became less friendly, until Nixon and Bopara put on the late burst.
England now heads into Sunday's crucial game against defending champions Australia knowing another loss could spell the end of their hopes of reaching the semi-finals.
Sri Lanka joined co-leaders Australia and New Zealand on six points in the Super Eights standings, while England languish behind fourth-placed South Africa on two.
A third-wicket stand between Upul Tharanga and captain Mahela Jayawardene was the cornerstone of Sri Lanka's innings. Tharanga made 62 and Jayawardene 56 in a 91-run stand that, despite being below par for the 1996 champions, proved to be enough.
Sri Lanka innings
| U. Tharanga c Pietersen b Flintoff | 62 |
| S. Jayasuriya b Mahmood | 25 |
| K. Sangakkara c Collingwood b |
| Mahmood | 17 |
| M. Jayawardene c Joyce b |
| Collingwood | 56 |
| C. Silva b Flintoff | 24 |
| T. Dilshan run out (Bell) | 5 |
| R. Arnold c Joyce b Mahmood | 20 |
| C. Vaas c Collingwood b Flintoff | 4 |
| L. Malinga c Nixon b Mahmood | 2 |
| M. Muralitharan not out | 2 |
| D. Fernando run out (Pietersen) | 2 |
| Extras: (3b, 5lb, 4w, 4nb) | 16 |
| TOTAL: ( all out - 50 overs) | 235 |
Fall: 1-37, 2-69, 3-160, 4-175, 5-193, 6-215, 7-219, 8-226, 9-231, 10-235. Bowling: James Anderson 10-1-39-0, Sajid Mahmood 9-0-50-4 (3nb, 1w), Andrew Flintoff 10-0-35-3 (1nb), Paul Collingwood 10-0-44-1 (1w), Monty Panesar 8-0-45-0, Michael Vaughan 3-0-14-0. England innings E. Joyce lbw Malinga | 10 |
| M. Vaughan c Sangakkara b Vaas | 0 |
| I. Bell run out (Jayasuriya) | 47 |
| K. Pietersen c&b Muralitharan | 58 |
| P. Collingwood lbw Fernando | 14 |
| A. Flintoff c Malinga b Fernando | 2 |
| R. Bopara b Fernando | 52 |
| P. Nixon c Jayawardene b Malinga | 42 |
| S. Mahmood not out | 2 |
| Extras: (1b, 1lb, 2w, 2nb) | 6 |
| TOTAL: (for eight wkts - 50 overs) | 233 |
Fall: 1-1, 2-11, 3-101, 4-126, 5-133, 6-133, 7-220, 8-233. Bowling: Chaminda Vaas 8-1-45-1, Lasith Malinga 10-1-50-2 (2nb), Dilhara Fernando, 9-0-41-3, Sanath Jayasuriya 8-0-31-0, Tillekeratne Dilshan 5-1-16-0 (1w), Muttiah Muralitharan 10-1-48-1 (1w). Result: Sri Lanka won by two runs.STANDINGS | P | W | T | L | NR | Pts |
| Australia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Sri Lanka | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| New Zealand | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| South Africa | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| England | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| West Indies | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Ireland | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Bangladesh | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
