Sri Lanka pacer Lasith Malinga (right) and teammates in training at Sabina Park yesterday, while preparing for today's World Cup semi-final against New Zealand. - Photos by Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

Tym Glaser, Associate Editor - Sport

FOUR-TIME semi-finalists New Zealand will be out to finally reach the ultimate destination of a Cricket World Cup when they take the field in the first semi-final at Sabina Park today.

Standing in the Black Caps way will be 1996 champions Sri Lanka; a side boasting three of the game's greats and which beat them comfortably in their Super Eight clash.

New Zealand have been this far before, in 1975, '79, '92 and '96, but have never been able to get over the penultimate hurdle on the way to the sport's greatest prize.

New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming yesterday said his team's key to victory was knocking over the Sri Lankan top order early while his opposite number, Mahela Jayawardene, was banking on his side's experience.

"They have a couple of batsmen that have dominated world cricket. (Sanath) Jayasuriya is very aggressive and (Kumar) Sangakkara and their skipper, to a degree, hold the innings together," Fleming said before the Kiwis' practice session at Sabina Park yesterday.

"If we can take wickets at the top then we are not going to be faced with the scenario where the (Andrew) Symonds and (Shane) Watsons or the (Mark) Bouchers and (Shaun) Pollocks can destroy you in the last 10 overs.

"They don't have those big hitters and that is an area we would like to expose early," he said.

Settling into the press conference hot seat after Fleming, Jayawardene said: "We have played each other quite a few times now and we know each others strengths and weaknesses. I think for us, probably experience is our advantage. Our guys have played more games, tougher games, big games."

Out-and-out match-winners

No team seems to play greater than the sum of its parts than the Kiwis.

They do possess out-and-out match-winners in super speedster Shane Bond, all-rounder Scott Styris and bespectacled left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori, but this side generally beats you with collective stealth rather than individual flair.

Fleming, replacement opener 'Two Metre' Peter Fulton and young but yet to fire No. 3 Ross Taylor are followed to the crease by a cluster of all-rounders including the irrepressible Styris, who has made 462 runs at an average of 92.4 and taken nine wickets while going at a measly 4.17 per over in a tremendous Cup campaign, Jacob Oram, Craig McMillan and 'keeper Brendon McCullum.

Vettori, who is also close to all-rounder class, and Bond, lead an attack which will probably be rounded out by James Franklin, who is also more than useful with the bat, and frugal offspinner Jeetan Patel.

With Bond and Oram both declared fit for the clash, the only real selection dilemma for New Zealand could be the choice of another seamer (Mark Gillespie or Michael Mason) over Patel on what is expected to be a relatively bouncy Sabina Park pitch.

Excellent players

While the Kiwis can grind you down, Sri Lanka can blow you away, thanks to their three all-world players - explosive opener Jayasuriya, left-arm seamer Chaminda Vaas and incomparable spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.

Evergreen Jayasuriya, nearing his 38th birthday, has sparkled with more than 400 runs this tournament while Muralitharan (19 wickets) and Vaas (12), who were both "rested" against world champions Australia in the Super Eights, have 31 scalps between them in eight games.

However, Sri Lanka are much more than a three-card trick with the classy Jayawardene topping the side's batting averages (51.75) and gaining fine support at the top of the order from Chamara Silva and useful if not earth-shattering contributions from opener Upul Tharanga, 'keeper/batsman Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan, a power point fielder, and Russel Arnold.

However, the trump card for Sri Lanka could be the Galle slinger, Lasith Malinga.

The shaggy-haired paceman captured the imaginationof the cricket world with his four wickets in four balls against South Africa in a thrilling one-wicket Super Eight loss and boasts 15 wickets for the tournament despite being sidelined with an ankle injury since the clash against England on April 4. If anywhere near fit, he will play for his shock value despite any ring rust.

The final seam spot will probably go to all-rounder Farveez Maharoof over Dilhara Fernando.

Sri Lanka, without Malinga, cruised to a six-wicket victory over New Zealand in their Super Eight clash in Grenada despite a fine, undefeated 111 from Styris which saw the Kiwis scrape to 219 for seven off their 50 overs. Vaas terrorised the Black Caps' top order and finished with 3-33 from nine overs while 'Murali' chimed in with 3-32 off 10.

Jayasuriya (64) and Sangakkara (69 not out) then laid the foundation for a victory which was achieved with almost five overs to spare.

Past results, as both captains pointed out yesterday, mean little today and the semi-final could well be decided by which top order survives the opening blasts from the likes of Bond and Vaas and Malinga.

With the world's second most successful one-day international bowler, Muralitharan, also up their sleeve, Sri Lanka should start marginal favourites to make it fifth time unlucky for New Zealand.

Likely teams:-

New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (captain), Peter Fulton, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Jacob Oram, Craig McMillan, Brendon McCullum, James Franklin, Daniel Vettori, Shane Bond, Jeetan Patel.

Sri Lanka: Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Chandana, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Chamara Silva, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Russel Arnold, Farveez Maharoof, Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan, Lasith Malinga.

Restriction on musical instruments lifted

Restrictions on musical instruments have been removed for today's Cricket World Cup semi-final between Sri Lanka and New Zealand at Sabina Park.

"This the final match of the ICC World Cup 2007 in Jamaica and the fact that it is the semi-final, the security directorate, in consultation with the ICC CWC Inc., have agreed to relax the security arrangements and allow the fans to carry their musical instruments," said Lisa O'Gilvie, event manager, logistics and operations, at Jamaica Cricket 2007 Ltd., the Local Organising Committee (LOC).

The decision to allow spectators to bring musical instruments into the stadium without prior approval was taken during the Super Eight stages of the competition. Before this decision, spectators had to obtain approval from the local security committees ahead of the matches.

Welcome decision

"This is a welcome decision as now cricket fans can now enjoy the true Caribbean experience of the game," added O'Gilvie of the meaasure which assisted in 'spicing up' matches in the just-concluded segment of the tournament in the eastern Caribbean.

Patrons may also carry food, but only in plastic containers or collapsible coolers - size 12" x 12" x 12".

However, according to O'Gilvie, "the food containers will be subject to search".

No glass or metal containers will be allowed.