World T20 cricket: England v New Zealand as it happened

Chris Gayle to bowl as Sri Lanka close in on victory. Sangakkara carefully blocks his first delivery of gentle off-spin, then drills the second through mid-off, an overthrow hands them a second run and Sri Lanka have won by nine wickets with 4.4 overs to spare.

Sangakkara hoists Rampaul over long-off for a first-bounce four, and pulls another boundary through mid-wicket. Sanga runs a bue, Jayawardene blasts his ninth four to bring up the century stand, then lofts another four over extra cover to bring his side to within two runs of victory. And with not particularly exquisite timing, it's time for the Shipping Forecast!

The medium-fast right-arm seamer Andre Russell into the attack, there's no luck for the West Indies as Jayawardene lifts one agonisingly over the leaping Dwayne Bravo at mid-off, that's four. Sri Lanka rattle along with a couple of singles, Jayawardene hammers a four over Chris Gayle at extra cover and that's four more. A single takes him to 49... this stand is now worth 76, and Sri Lanka need 32 from 42 balls.

Still no fifth bowler in use as Sangakkara helps himself to a two down the leg side against Sammy. A single takes him to 25... there's a rare blemish from Jayawardene as he sweeps, gets a top edge, he doesn't know where it's going but it's over the keeper's head for one.

It's party time for the fans in Pallekele as Sri Lanka see off Sunil Narine's last over at the cost of two singles, and can prepare to make hay against the lesser bowlers.

Sri Lanka continue to cruise towards what seems to be an inevitable win as Sanga knocks a single before Jaywardene pulls his sixth four of the innings. A single takes him to 37, and when asked about the prospect of Monday's games all going to net run rate, Vic Marks on TMS evokes the spirit of Donald Rumsfeld by referring to "known unknowns and unknown unknowns". But, he promises, "by the time England toss up, they will know what they need to do."

Darren Sammy brings himself into the attack, Jayawardene knocks a single before Sangakkara effortlessly pulls a four through square leg. A single takes him to 20, then Jayawardene tries a Dilscoop over the keeper's head, can't quite make contact and they run a bye.

Powerplay completed, West Indies turn back to Trinidadian off-spinner Sunil Narine - in contrast to the other three teams in action today who all used five bowlers in the first eight overs, the Windies have only used three in their first seven. Jayawardene guides a single, there are five in the circle (rather than the minimum four) for Sangakkara as he works one off his legs. Jayawardene rotates the strike again, then Sangakkara becomes the latest man to pass 1,000 Twenty20 international runs with a well-timed four wide of mid-on.

Edwards to bowl, and Aggers notes on TMS that a crushing victory would do Sri Lanka plenty of favours in terms of net run-rate - which it might all come down to, depending on the other results in this group. Edwards bangs one in barely halfway down the track, Jayawardene ducks and it sails over the keeper for five aerial wides. The skipper uses his wrists well to caress one of his exquisitely-timed fours through the covers, I've said it before but Jayawardene would be one of the first names on my teamsheet if asked to compile an Aesthetically Pleasing XI. Very possibly anchoring the middle order along with David Gower and AB de Villiers. A three takes him to 23 from 19 balls.

Rampaul continues for his third over, Jayawardene chops one which sails off the edge and over the top of Darren Sammy at backward point for four. He's the highest run-scorer at ICC World Twenty20 tournaments (if you combine all four of them from 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2012), and effortlessly guides another one off his legs for four over mid-on. It means that already the required rate has dropped to less than a run a ball. A single takes Jayawardene to 16 from 13 balls, Sanga guides the bearded Rampaul off his legs and they scamper back for two. 87 needed from 90 balls.

I'd love to see where these two batsmen stand in the all-time list of runs scored together as a partnership in all international cricket (T20, ODIs and Tests), and though not a betting man I'd wager they'd be somewhere near the top. West Indies' own "mystery spinner" Sunil Narine is into the attack, Sangakkara and Jayawardene help themselves to a single apiece before Sanga on-drives for four. A push into the covers only brings them two as Russell, who's a tremendous athlete, gives chase and throws the ball back in very quickly.

Kumar Sangakkara is the new batsman, batting with his old friend Jayawardene. Rampaul sends down another wide, the left-handed Sangakkara is off the mark with a single.

Fidel Edwards takes the second over as West Indies begin with right-arm pace from both ends, but Tillakaratne Dilshan relishes a battle like this, blasting Edwards's first three balls for four, the first silkily through the covers, the second more pugnaciously through backward point and the third drilled to wide long-off. Great start by Dilshan, who was our BBC Sport website columnist during the last World Cup.

Rampaul gets Sri Lanka going with a wide, Jayawardene swings and misses at another one outside off stump and umpire Steve Davis spreads his arms to indicate another wide. A roar greets Sri Lanka's first runs off the bat as the skipper guides a well-struck four through point.

Skipper Darren Sammy joins Russell at the crease, his job is do a lot of running as Russell scampers two twos and a single. That leaves Sammy to face the last ball of the innings, he digs out a yorker and can only manage a single. "My word, Sri Lanka would have settled for that," says Aggers on TMS as West Indies finish on 129-5.

Malinga returns to bowl the 17th (and presumably 19th) over today, kissing the ball before each delivery as he always does, and Russell and Samuels can't get him away. They plunder five singles from the first five balls, Sri Lanka won't be displeased with that, and Samuels steers the last ball for two as the mid-wicket boundary fielder makes a great diving stop.

Andre Russell is the new batsman, promoted ahead of Ramdin, he works his first ball for a single and Mendis finishes his spell - his four overs (all bowled in one-over spells) leave him with figures of 4-1-12-2. Unless he picks up an injury before Monday, it may be case of "England, prepare to meet thy doom..."

Samuels swings and misses at Mathews, then cracks a single to long-off. Thisara Perera's not bowled yet, I wonder if we'll see him? Bravo also can't connect, but a fumble behind the timbers by Sanga allows West Indies to run a bye. Samuels chips a single over the bowler's head, there's Perera sprinting in from long-off. An accomplished square drive brings Bravo four, and he keeps the strike with a single to the mid-wicket sweeper.

Jeevan Mendis takes a rest and Sri Lanka turn to the popular Lasith Malinga - and as Vic mentions on TMS, he's often more effective bowling towards the end of a limited-overs innings when he can sling in those deadly yorkers. Bravo opens the face to run a single to third man, Samuels guides only his second four through the same area which brings up the fifty stand, before he tips-and-runs a single to mid-on. Bravo clips Malinga into the on side, little Herath runs in from mid-wicket and restricts them to a single. Yet another nudge to third man from Samuels allows him to nick the strike.

Herath's off and we have a Mendis bowling from either end - Ajantha Mendis has Samuels groping at a couple of deliveries he's clearly not reading before he comes down the track and gets a leg bye when he virtually kicks the ball into the off side. But when Mendis (A) strays with his length, Bravo has the power to club him halfway up the hill at cow corner for six. A single takes him to 32 - Bravo's done all right, 32 from 27, he's had more of the strike than Samuels who has been a little out of sorts with 14 from 15.

Mendis replaces Mendis as Ajantha Mendis is replaced by leg-spinning all-rounder Jeevan Mendis. He starts with two long-hops and is lucky to only concede a couple of singles, but there's definitely some turn for him. Bravo then can't pierce the infield from four attempts, even a long-hop googly, and Mendis (J) is quickly through his over.

Aggers has been impressed with the stadium DJ tonight, after he played "Daydream Believer" a bit earlier. Ajantha Mendis is back into the attack, he concedes his first runs as Samuels knocks a two and a single, while there's a big cheer for Lasith Malinga as he does some fielding. "He's one of those cricketers who's loved by everyone," notes Russel Arnold on TMS. A single from Bravo means it's four from the over.

The diminutive left-arm spinner Rangana Herath into the attack, he tied England in a few knots in the first Test in Galle back in March, although his record in limited-overs internationals is modest. After a single from Samuels, Bravo unleashes another lovely cover drive for four, although the rather partisan Pallekele crowd don't applaud it much - they're too busy cheering every dot ball Sri Lanka bowl!

Despite having bowled a wicket maiden, Mendis is out of the attack but you can bet he'll be back to bowl his three remaining overs a little later. Mathews returns, Samuels and Bravo run a couple of singles before Samuels edges one past the keeper as he takes one hand off the bat. A single takes him to six, while Bravo is "fighting fire with fire" according to Aggers on TMS as he blasts another four through the covers, before a good boundary stop on the rope restricts him to two.

Dwayne Bravo is the new batsman, he whacks his first ball for four through mid-on. But he can't get the last ball away - 20-2 is the lowest six-over powerplay score in this tournament.

A Sri Lanka win here would put the cat among the pigeons - it would also keep New Zealand's hopes alive, while a Windies win sees them qualify, while England-Sri Lanka on Monday then effectively becomes a quarter-final.

Marlon Samuels in at three, he can't lay a bat on the smiling Mendis who completes a wicket maiden.

Gayle's not had much of the strike so far, he aims a big hit at a slower ball from Kulasekara but can't quite time it and the ball dribbles to mid-wicket for a single. Charles, bristling for another boundary, can only manage a single and Kulasekara has a mightily impressive 0-3 from two overs.

Bring on The Slinger! Malinga charges in to great applause, but his first ball is guided off his legs for four by Charles, the first boundary of the innings. It's "Charles in Charge" at this stage, as the St Lucian hammers another four over the bowler's head, but Malinga keeps it tight for the rest of the over.

More right-arm seam Nuwan Kulasekara takes the second over, he's a couple of yards quicker than Mathews - how long will Sri Lanka keep Lasith "The Slinger" Malinga up their sleeves? West Indies continue their relatively sedate start as Charles knocks a single, and Gayle plays out three dot balls. Huge applause for a tight over by Kulasekara.

Angelo Mathews will take the new ball, he's an athletic all-rounder who bowls medium-fast right-arm seam. Johnson Charles takes strike, and there's big cheers from the Sri Lanka fans as he steers the first ball of the innings to backward point - "the most applauded dot ball I think I've ever heard", notes Vic Marks on TMS. Some of these fans are going to be hoarse by the end of the match if they keep this up. Charles pushes a single off the fourth ball of the over, which brings Chris Gayle on strike - the big man even has his name on his bat. As if we could forget the identity of the self-styled "coolest man in cricket"... He's off the mark with a single, Charles blasts one wide of mid-on as Rangana Herath gives chase, but it's just a single - Gayle doesn't run many twos. He's too cool for that.

Awful ball from Bracewell to new batsman Jonny Bairstow, it's a legside bouncer which Bairstow helps on its way for four. Three needed from nine. Next ball is wide outside off stump, umpire Asad Rauf spreads his arms to indicate a wide, and it's two from nine. Bairstow chops one to short third man, there's a sprawling stop but they run a single to level the scores. Field comes in, Buttler smears a single to mid-off and England have won with seven balls to spare.

New Zealand go for broke, with Mills bowled out they're going to give Vettori his last over, meaning the last two overs (if needed) would need to be bowled by their lesser bowlers. Buttler and Wright manage two singles and a leg bye from the over as Vettori keeps Buttler tied down, leaving eight needed from 12 balls. Vettori finishes with 1-20.

Jos Buttler is the new batsman, promoted ahead of the man who shares two of his initials, Jonny Bairstow. Wright's facing as they crossed on the catch, Mills sends down a wide. Wright moves to 68 with a single, Buttler cuts his first ball for one, but Wright belts the last two balls of the over for four, leaving England needing 11 from 18 balls. There's also a bit of a spat between Mills and Buttler as the former thought the latter was taking the mickey a bit with how far he was backing up. You'd have thought a Somerset player would have learned from that "mankad" row involving Murali Kartik towards the end of the season...

There's a full moon over Pallekele - but is it a bad moon rising for England or New Zealand, knowing that defeat probably means curtains for the loser of this game? Simon Doull on TMS has called it - Daniel Vettori's back on with his wily left-arm spin. Wright and Morgan exchange singles to bring up the fifty stand, Wright works one off his legs and Morgan blasts three well-run twos so it's nine off Vettori's over. Morgan has 28 from 26, Wright has 38 from 29, and England need 54 from 36 balls. Who's favourites at this stage?

McCullum will complete his four-over spell (bowling overs 7, 9, 11 and 13 just as fellow off-spinner Graeme Swann did), the increasingly confident Wright and Morgan add three singles before McCullum finishes his spell (1-22) with three dot balls to Morgan.

Wright steers Nicol for a couple, then comes down the pitch to blast an off-drive out of the reach of extra cover - that's the first boundary for four overs, and takes him past 500 career T20 international runs. A single brings Morgan on strike, the left-handed Dubliner moves to seven with a single, and Wright is up to 25 from 20 balls with a two off the last ball of the over. And NZ were 58-3 at this stage...

New Zealand continue with off-spin from both ends as McCullum wheels away, England aren't breaking the shackles just yet as Morgan and Wright add four singles to the score, even off the last ball which is a pretty rank full toss which Wright steers straight to the man on the square leg boundary.

Vettori takes a rest and it's Rob Nicol into the attack, he's a part-time off-spinner who's one of the legion of Kiwis who have represented Gloucestershire at some stage over the last decade or so. He has a large white towel tucked into the back of his trousers, and he's all arms and legs as he skips in to bowl, emphasising the fact that he could probably do with a haircut as well. (And like Vettori, he's also sporting a moustache - a bit early for Movember?) Wright and Morgan add four sedate singles as England look to rebuild.

Eoin Morgan is the new batsman, he's immediately off the mark with a single, and three more singles means it's still neck and neck - NZ were 42-3 at this stage.

There's not much in it at this stage as New Zealand were 30-2 after five overs. Hales pushes Vettori for a single, the left-arm spinner then dives to field well off his own bowling and deny Wright a run, but the Sussex man responds with a firm on-driven four. It's celebrated by a group of fans who look like they're dressed in brightly-coloured, tightly-fitting spandex one-piece outfits like an overgrown posse of Mighty Morphing Power Rangers (without helmets). Two more singles round off the over.

New Zealand persist with Mills, who'd only conceded three from his first two overs. But he strays down the leg side for the first time and Wright clips him off his pads for four. A single brings Hales on strike - he's only faced nine balls from the first 28 of the innings, and he goes hard, slicing a three over backward point as Nathan McCullum makes a great diving stop in front of the rope. And you always think in T20, every run counts...

While we reinforce the text inbox for a flurry of the inevitable "Drop Kieswetter!" messages, Luke Wright is in at number three and manages a leg bye off his first ball.

Mills to continue as Kieswetter is on the defensive again - it's almost like we're watching two different games here, one from each end. "Luke Wright's in unkown territory, he's never had to wait this long to come in!" notes a mischievous Vic on TMS. Kieswetter can't get the first four balls away, that's nine dot balls from the first 10 he's faced. The deadlock is broken when Kieswetter steers a single which Ross Taylor half-stops at mid-wicket. Mills has 0-3 from his two overs, and Southee is going to be hauled off after 0-16 from one.

What's on second? It's Tim Southee in an all-seam opening attack - now 23, it's more than four years since Southee made his international debut against England as a fresh-faced 19-year-old, but he could still pass for a teenager. I'd certainly ask him for ID if he tried to buy a beer from me... The rangy Hales starts well with a two off his legs, a four guided backward of point and another hoicked two which reaches the mid-wicket sweeper on the bounce. Another savagely clubbed four off his hip means the man on that mid-wicket fence has been kept very busy this over. Hales chips a four off the last ball over point, that's 16 from the over, and that'll do nicely.

So, will Kieswetter and Hales bat like Hobbs and Sutcliffe or Abbott and Costello? Who's on first? Kyle Mills. Kieswetter defends his first ball, leaves the second and gets England under way with a two off the third before playing out the rest of the over.

Doug Bracewell comes in for one ball, pushes it through the covers, they run one and come back for the second, this is going to be close... but Kieswetter fumbles the throw, drops the ball and Bracewell completes his second run to walk off with a strike rate of 200. England need 149 to win... it's the lowest total by a side batting first on this ground.

Cap'n Broad returns, Taylor dabs a single before Franklin deliberately uppercuts to third man, not even the tumbling, gangly figure of Steven Finn can stop the ball trickling onto the rope - that's 100 up for the Black Caps, and Franklin is on song here. Broad pings in a bouncer, Franklin is disappointed it's not called as an aerial wide as he's unable to connect with an almost perpendicular pull shot. A slower full toss is pummelled through square leg for four. A single takes him to 32 from 20 balls.

Bresnan back into the attack, with seven overs left and three Bresnan overs to fit in, they were going to have to turn back to him sooner or later. Franklin tickles a two to third man before smacking a quick single down to Bairstow at long-off. The ground is filling up well, and I'm sure it will be even fuller later when the host nation take to the field against West Indies. Taylor moves to 21 with a single, Franklin cuts one to the cover sweeper, and Taylor digs out a good yorker from Bres. England will be very happy to have got to this stage conceding less than a run a ball.

With a left-hander on strike, no-one's going to wrest the ball away from Graeme Swann to bowl his last over. Franklin doubles his score with a single, Taylor steps across his stumps and slog-sweeps Swann for four, to the delight of those flag-waving NZ fans. The Kiwi skipper runs a single to third man, and Franklin steers Swann's last ball for a single off his legs - the Notts twirler finishes with a very tidy 1-20 from four overs."

The tall James Franklin drills his first ball to long-on for a single, Taylor can only play the last ball back to the bowler. Briggs has 1-20 from three.

Williamson and Taylor help themselves to six largely sedate singles against Swann, rather like the middle overs of a one-day international, although some slight hesitation on the last delivery means Williamson just makes his ground as Kieswetter has to retrieve Eoin Morgan's wide throw.

As I think others have observed, this Pallekele stadium up in the hills near Kandy is not entirely dissimilar to a New Zealand cricket ground, with the fans enjoying being able to watch from grassy banks around the ground. Taylor ends the three-over boundary drought with a well-struck four throuigh mid-wicket. Broad sends down a wide, a single moves Taylor to 10, Williamson's up to 12 with a hook to the mid-wicket sweeper.

Williamson swings at one that turns sharply from Swann, chopping an inside edge past the stumps for a single. Taylor pops a quick single off his legs - "Williamson and Martin Guptill are probably the two quickest in the side, and Taylor's not far behind," notes ex-NZ bowler Simon Doull on TMS. Williamson turns a single to short fine leg, Taylor flicks one to deep square leg.

While Aggers enthuses to Simon Doull on TMS about his visit to an elephant orphanage yesterday (check Aggers' Twitter feed for pictures), England captain Stuart Broad brings himself on to bowl to his opposite number Ross Taylor. He's off the mark with a single, Williamson dabs a single to third man and Taylor steers the last ball of an economical over for two.

Captain Ross Taylor is the new batsman, Williamson can't get the last ball of the over away.

Meanwhile, down in Galle, Sarah Taylor has smashed the first ball of the 18th over for four - England's women have won by nine wickets with 17 balls to spare. So, they and Australia qualify from Group A, and their game on Monday will decide who tops the group. India and Pakistan are eliminated.

Finn steams in for his third over, Williamson drops the ball at his feet and Vic Marks feels they missed a big chance for a quick single there. Williamson gives himself room and square-cuts for four. Then Finn hits the stumps again and it's another dead ball. Williamson takes a single off the replacement ball, Nicol slogs a four through long-on.

Meanwhile, down in Galle, England's women are on cruise control - Laura Marsh was stumped for 39 but captain Charlotte Edwards is unbeaten on 50, she's been joined by Sarah Taylor and England are 114-1 after 16.2 overs, chasing 117 to win - so three needed from 22 balls. Fair to say England can make their travel plans for the semi-finals in Colombo - don't forget there will be TMS commentary on the women's semi-final and final, and we'll be bringing you live text on them too.

Briggs takes a rest and England turn back to seam as Tim Bresnan joins the attack, Williamson and Nicol plunder three singles before Bresnan pings in a bouncer down the leg side which is called as a wide.

Kane Williamson (who will be very familiar to Gloucestershire fans) has batted up and down the order for New Zealand, he's in at four. Nicol's facing as they ran on the catch, his next ball goes for four leg byes as it brushes his thigh pad and scoots to the boundary, and he manages a two off the last ball of Finn's over - the Middlesex man has 2-5 from two overs.

Briggs gets a second over, McCullum can't get the first two deliveries away as Briggs gets a bit of turn before the Kiwi keeper jabs a quick single to backward point. Nicol guides a single to mid-wicket, but a fierce on-drive by McCullum beats the diving Luke Wright at long-off and that's four. McCullum comes down the track to the last ball, and lofts a first-bounce four over mid-on.

Finn strays with a wide to new batsman McCullum, who then swishes and misses outside off stump. He tries to play the last ball off his legs but the ball squirts to third man for a single.

Meanwhile, down in Galle, England's women are going great guns. Chasing 117 to beat India, they're 68-0 after 10 overs, with Laura Marsh unbeaten on 36 from 30 balls (including five fours and a six) and skipper Charlotte Edwards on 30 from 30.

Right-handers Martin Guptill and Rob Nicol are New Zealand's opening pair (they have a pretty fluid batting order), Guptill takes strike and both batsmen take a single before Guptill comes down the track and drills a straight-driven four just past his partner. Then, Guptill pushes into the covers, there's a mix-up but Jos Buttler throws to the bowler's end when Guptill would probably have been struggling to regain his ground at the striker's end.