Sri Lanka too good for the Black Caps

A friend once gave me a unique gift – a used copy of “THE FINEST YEARS: TWENTY YEARS OF NEW ZEALAND CRICKET” by Dick Brittenden.
Of course, I read the book as if I were attempting to commit it to memory. As a result, I have since had a soft spot in my heart for the BLACK CAPS (the nickname of New Zealand's cricket team).
That’s why today’s ICC World Twenty20 Super Eight result caused me such pain.
Twenty20 is a shortened form of cricket in which teams are limited to 20 overs (an over is a spell of six balls bowled – we’d call it “pitched” – in succession). It would be like a baseball game abbreviated based on a limited number of pitches thrown.
SRI LANKA (158-5 in 20 overs) beat NEW ZEALAND (110 all out in 17 overs) by 48 runs to claim the remaining World Twenty20 semi-final place.
The Sri Lankans reportedly outclassed the Kiwis.
Tillakeratne Dilshan scored 48 runs from 37 balls and Mahela Jayawardene struck six fours and a six for 41 runs from 29 balls. (Jayawardene is pictured above, escaping an attempted run out.)
The New Zealand batsmen gave a good accounting of themselves early – reaching 30 not out by the third over.
Then one of Sri Lanka ’s brilliant bowlers, the spinner Ajantha Mendis, took two wickets in an over to nip the Kiwi comeback in the proverbial bud.
A good spin bowler in cricket is like a tough curve-ball pitcher in baseball, and Mendis was tough on New Zealand . He finished with three wickets taken for only nine runs allowed. The poor Kiwis lost their final six wickets for just 17 runs in four overs.