South Africa coast to 9-wicket win over Sri Lanka

CHESTER-LE-STREET: Faf du Plessis and Hashim Amla struck unbeaten half-centuries as South Africa cruised to a nine-wicket victory at the Riverside Ground to put a major dent in Sri Lanka’s hopes of reaching the Cricket World Cup semifinals. After putting Sri Lanka in to bat, South Africa were set a target of 204 as seamer Dwaine Pretorius took 3/25 off 10 overs in an innings that was interrupted by a swarm of bees that invaded the pitch and sent the players and umpires to the floor. 

Brathwaite fined for dissent in India defeat  

MANCHESTER: West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite has been fined 15% of his match fee for showing dissent at the umpire’s decision in their defeat to India. The incident occurred in the 42nd over of India’s innings, when Brathwaite protested the umpire’s decision of declaring a wide off his bowling.

Trans-Tasman rivalry at play

London: Australia will resume their Trans-Tasman rivalry at the World Cup stage when they take on a New Zealand side low on confidence after its first defeat of the tournament here tomorrow. — AGENCIES

Aus vs NZ in World Cup
Matches 10
Australia won 7
New Zealand won 3

Form guide
Australia: WWWWL
New Zealand: LWWWW
(L=lost W=won; Last five completed matches, most recent first)

Pitch and conditions

This pitch is expected to be batsmen-friendly. The weather is expected to be fine

22.30   Warner-Finch’s average against New Zealand which is their lowest against any ODI opposition.  

2  Batsmen — Glenn Maxwell and Liam Plunket with a strike-rate over 200 in the World Cup

7  Consecutive matches in the World Cup for New Zealand with an unchanged side 

32  Runs required by Kane Williamson to reach 6000 in ODIs. He is also on track to beat Martin Crowe’s 1992 record for the most runs by a New Zealand captain in a World Cup