World T20 cricket: England v Sri Lanka as it happened

Hmmm, if I had to pick the England cricketer most like Ian Poulter, I think I'd go for Graeme Swann. Twice he guides Malinga to third man for four, then pulls out a swipe that beats wide long on to the fence. Do England still have a chance? Maybe not, but they need 14 an over and have just taken 15 off Malinga.

Little to report from this Ajantha Mendis over, as England barely get the ball off the square. Only five singles from it. 59 needed from the last four overs, England need a miracle bigger than Medinah, Istanbul and Headingley put together.

Jos Buttler hasn't done much since carting South Africa all around Edgbaston, but England need him now. The defending champions are currently being outfoxed by 18-year-old Akila Dananjaya, with some swiping, dancing and cutting bringing six from the over. Asking rate is pushing 12 now.

Ravi is off the mark with a single, and Patel takes one of his own. I'm not convinced the running between these two will be the best, so England may have to deal in boundaries from now on.

There's no other way to say this. Samit Patel is taking Ajantha Mendis to the cleaners. His plan isn't subtle, either. The Notts man is backing off and playing proper cricket strokes through the off side, which he twice does for four. A couple of singles bring back Patel on strike, with Mendis then getting a rare moral victory as Samit inside edges for a single. 98 needed off 10.

If one mystery spinner takes some tap, simply bowl another one. 18-year-old Akila Dananjaya replaces Ajantha Mendis, with this England pair both looking to play him off the back foot. In my mind, that's risky, but they take three singles from the first four balls. Some good running brings Morgan a couple from the last ball, but Dananjaya has started well to put the brakes on England's charge.

Eoin Morgan gets in on the boundary fun, planting a foot down the track to send Mathews back over his head, with the Dubliner then exchanging singles with Samit. Do England believe? In Ryder Cup terms, I'd say we've reached the stage of Ian Poulter birdieing the last on Saturday to get it back to 10-6. There's a very slight flicker of hope.

Right then, you're three down in a match you must win, how will you deal with our top spinner? Well, rather well actually. Samit Patel, batting like The Don, twice hammers Ajantha Mendis for four through the off side, before carving a horrible full toss over the covers for another boundary. Along with Morgan, Patel one of the best players of spin in this England side, and he shows that here.

Samit Patel, where have you been all my life? The Notts man unfurls the most glorious of cover drive off Kulasekara that goes for four, then follows that by carving a slower ball in the same direction for another boundary. In Samit we trust.

After that game-changer of an over from Malinga, England have little option but to respect the next one sent down by Kulasekara. Just a Samit Patel single (that's another one you read right, Samit was promoted up to number four) from it.

If England are to get these, you feel that one of Wright, Hales or Eoin Morgan will have to do the bulk of the work. Wright flaps at a couple, then manages to pull for four. A single brings Hales on strike, with the Notts man playing a lovely tuck off his legs for a couple.

Dernbach is trusted with the final over despite being carted in his last spell. He starts by conceding a couple of singles, before a poor throw from Joss Buttler allows Perera to race through for two. Sri Lanka get another two thanks to more sloppy fielding before Perera hooks to the boundary for one. Little Nuwan Kulasekara takes guard for the final ball of the innings and plays an outrageous leave. Perhaps he thought it was a 50 over game? So that's seven from the over and England need 169 to win and progress to the semi-finals, at a rate of 8.45 per over.

The brakes have been well and truly applied to this Sri Lankan innings, as Steven Finn looks to break into the tail-enders. Thirimanne manages to take a single to deep cover before Perera aims a massive slog and misses. If he had connected there, the ball might still be travelling. He hits the next one into the air, but Broad, running around from mid-on cannot get to the ball and it drops just out of the skipper's reach. Three from the over.

Talk about leading from the front. Just as Mendis and Mathews looked likely to cut loose, Broad gets rid of them both in consecutive balls. Lahiru Thirimanne and Thisara Perera are the new men at the crease.

The elder statesmen might be back in the hut, but there is still plenty of talent left for Sri Lanka as both Angelo Mathews and Jeevan Mendis try and get after Ravi Bopara. They are struggling to get the ball away, however, as the Essex man chucks in all his variations and concedes just eight in the over. He'll take that.

The crowd cheers every shot off the bat like they have won the World Cup - even when Mendis finds the fielder and is limited to two from Swann's first delivery. The England man is turning it like Murali at the moment, and Mathews is grateful for three byes after being beaten all ends up. Mendis goes for the switch-hit from the final ball of the over, but totally misses it.

After seeing the replays, I think Sangakkara was very unlucky there. England are well on top now, however, and skipper Stuart Broad maintains the pressure with four dot balls before Mathews wields the willow and gets four over extra cover. A good over is ruined by another crashing four through the covers. Mathews is not going to sit back and let England take control.

Swann has turned the game on its head by getting rid of the two Sri Lankan dangermen, but he can't get his hat-trick as Jeevan Mendis goes on the attack. After blocking the hat-trick ball, the all-rounder hits consecutive boundaries to ease the pressure.

Samit Patel, who is probably still waking up in hot sweats thinking about all those sixes Chris Gayle took off him, gets one to rip and beat Jayawardene's outside edge. Hardly what England wanted to see before they face the Sri Lankan spinners later. Mahela continues to look in imperious form as he delicately cuts one for four and then sweeps one fine for another boundary. A single to mid-on makes it 10 from the over. I sense a few fireworks soon...

While England bowling coach David Saker furiously scribbles notes down in the team dug-out, or should I say bus shelter, Graeme Swann continues to twirl away. He is milked for a couple of singles before Jayawardene pulls the sweep shot out from his box of tricks and gets four runs for his team. Class. He's moved effortlessly to 33 not out - there's nothing slow about him today.

It appears Ravi Bopara's skills with the ball might be the reason behind his recall to the team, and Jayawardene works a decent delivery for one before Sangakkara takes two. To keep the Sri Lankans honest, Jonny Bairstow has decided to stand up to Ravi. It seems to work too, with the batsman only managing one ball from the rest of the over.

Graeme Swann is into the attack and he instantly gets some turn, as Jayawardene takes two to fine leg. The opener then brings up his side's fifty with a glorious four down to third man. He and Sangakkara then score three singles to complete the over. Their running between the wicket is almost telepathic - as you would expect from two men who have scored millions of runs batting together and were best men at each other's wedding.

Victor has called it right, as captain fantastic Stuart Broad gives himself a bowl. He bowls three dot balls to Jayawardene before the batsman manages to get two after steering the ball just out of reach of Ravi Bopara. Another single limits the host nation to three from the over and their lowest powerplay score of the tournament so far.

If you follow Steven Finn on Twitter, it appears he and some of his team-mates spend a lot of their time on tour playing video games. It's obviously not doing him any harm as the man with the most dot balls in the tournament gets one to nip back and hit Dilshan on the back leg. Kumar Sangakkara comes to the crease and works two before getting a fortunate edge for four after a slip by wicketkeeper Bairstow.

Steven Finn, who I expect will become a better bowler from being exposed to T20 cricket in this part of the world, continues and he is hit for four by Jayawardene. He then gets his now-customary warning for knocking the stumps over in his follow through. This really is a problem the Middlesex man needs to sort out. Just two other singles to report in the over, making it six in total.

Sri Lanka look like they mean business straight away, with Mahela stealing a quick single to mid-on from the first delivery of the game. Dilshan also makes a positive start, taking a single into the leg side. Jayawardene then aims a waft at a Steven Finn wide one, which Bairstow does very well to stop behind the stumps. That will settle the young 'un down. Jaywardene takes one to put Dilshan back on strike, who nails his first boundary of the day through the covers. They are up and running.

England have brought Samit Patel, Ravi Bopara and Jade Dernbach into their team, in place of Danny Briggs, Craig Kieswetter and Tim Bresnan.

Victor is right there, that was some pretty spectacular dancing. They celebrated like they had won the World Cup - or how I do when I find a fiver in an old pair of jeans. As a result, New Zealand are out of the tournament. Windies hopes depend on England v Sri Lanka result.

Good running by Brendon McCullum pulls Ross Taylor through for two runs. NZ finish on 17-0 from their six balls. West Indies need 17 from six balls to win. Because they hit more boundaries in the match, Darren Sammy's side will win the match if it's tied. Just three hits for Chris Gayle, that.

There's a bit of a conference in the middle, as the West Indies decide who will bowl the final over. Marlon Samuels and Andre Russell don't fancy it, but Marlon draws the short straw...

While Taylor is still there, I make the Kiwis favourites. He takes a single from Ravi Rampaul's first ball before McCullum races through for one of his own. By the way, is Ravi Rampaul the oldest looking 27-year-old in world cricket? Taylor drives for a couple before taking one down to long-off. McCullum scampers two before hitting a full toss into the leg side for one more. Eight from the over.

Is this the last throw of the dice for the Windies, as Sunil Narine comes into the attack? Oram punches one through midwicket for two before getting trapped in his crease and being pinned in front by the bowler. Nathan McCullum survives the last two balls of the over. NZ now need 25 from 18.

Jacob Oram appears happy to let his skipper do the business here, as he works Pollard for an easy single from the first ball of the over. Perhaps the biggest feat achieved in that single was Taylor's ability to run around the dive of the big man, Pollard. That added a couple of seconds to his journey down the other end. Taylor looks a steadying influence out there as he collects a pair of twos before digging out a yorker for a single.

Jacob Oram, who has not been well during his time in Sri Lanka, strides to the crease and he and Taylor work singles from the first two balls of the over. Narine might have been the bowling hero in the last over, but his fielding needs some work as he makes a mess on the boundary - allowing Taylor to get a pressure-relieving four. The skipper takes one to long-on before Oram ends the over with a single of his own. NZ need 47 from 36 balls.

Taylor looks to have regained the momentum for the Kiwis as his partner Franklin gets a single. Then Narine bowls a no-ball, which could also have been called wide. It gives Taylor a free hit, and the skipper can't take advantage as he is caught at long off on his way to strolling one run. Franklin adds a single before Taylor eases two into a leg-side gap before milking another single. Just as it appears New Zealand are cruising, Narine and Gayle strike.

As I get my head around the revelation one of my colleagues ate 24 mini chocolate cakes yesterday (is that a record?), Kieron Pollard is chucked the ball for the first time in the tournament. He is a big lad, is Kieron, and he won't be too impressed with James Franklin - the New Zealander pulling a short one for four. What is the big man's response to that? It's a slower ball, which is worked into the off side for a single. Taylor is happy to take singles himself, driving on the front foot to long on.

The pressure builds as the leg-spinner, Badree, continues to wheel away. The field comes in, and New Zealand look nervy - the new batsman James Franklin almost run out taking a risky single to Sammy at point. Taylor is restricted to one himself, when Kieron Pollard gets down well at short midwicket, before Franklin drives down the ground for one to complete the over.

Martin Guptill's middle is in fine working order, judging by his shot down to third man. He effortlessly guided a Darren Sammy delivery in that direction and the ball raced away for four. Great timing. It must have put Sammy off his stride because he slips in a wide, before being driven down the ground for one. Taylor instantly returns his opener to the strike, before Guptill ends the over in the worst possible fashion - by gifting his wicket.

I'd stay away from Brendon McCullum if I was in the Kiwi changing room at the moment. I bet he is furious after gifting his wicket to Badree. His skipper Ross Taylor - not a bad replacement - is now at the crease and he gets off the mark with a paddle for two before ending the over with a single.

The runs are coming a bit too easily as Darren Sammy comes trundling in and is worked for two into the leg side by McCullum. He and Guptill then trade singles before McCullum adds another by driving one down the ground. Guptill eases it down to the cover fieldsman for one more. A bit too easy for the Kiwis.

It's National Children's Day in Sri Lanka today, and Sunil Narine comes bearing gifts as, after being worked for a couple of singles, he drops one down the leg side and McCullum pulls him for four. Narine tosses one up later in the over, and McCullum helps himself to another two before ending the over with a regulation single. It's all a bit too calm out there at the moment - it's just waiting to burst into life any time soon.

Did you know Brendon McCullum's T20 average is better than his Test and ODI average? You do now. Martin Guptill is the man on strike for this Ravi Rampaul over and he spanks one for four through midwicket as the bowler drops short. It's not often old Ravi bowls a bad un', and he is back on the money for the next ball. Again, Guptill and McCullum finish the over with a couple of singles. Nervy stuff.

Safe hands? I'm not sure about that one. I'm usually deployed at third man or fine leg, rather than the key catching positions. Anyway, who will win this one? West Indies are on top early on, but Brendon McCullum takes the attack to Samuel Badree by driving him down the ground for four. He and Guptill add a single each to complete a satisfactory over.

Is Brendon McCullum the man to spark this run chase in to life? He gets off the mark with an inside edge for four, helped by some poor fieding at short fine leg by Sunil Narine, who goes down in installments to see the ball roll under his dive. While Narine trotts to fetch that, I'll hand over to the safe hands of Marc Higginson.

It's spin from the other end, Samuel Badree's leggies sending down the new ball. He's not a big turner of the ball, and cramps this right-handed pair by bowling wicket to wicket. Two singles and a two through square leg come from an over that is delivered quicker than a hiccup.

Some early shape for Rampaul, with New Zealand happy to be watchful in the opening over. They take three singles, before Guptill is denied a boundary from the final ball by some good fielding by Johnson Charles at long on.

It's odd to see the last pair playing for time in a T20 match, but that's what Samuel Badree and Ravi Rampaul are doing. They see off Southee, who finishes with excellent figures of 3-21.

Sure enough, the fast-medium of Doug Bracewell is greeted by a cut for four from Sammy, who then exchanges singles with the newly-helmeted Pollard. Sammy, playing in to out with a huge flourish, finishes the over with a chip over the off side for a couple.

The Windies have some consolidating to do here and are happy to take four singles from McCullum's final over. He departs with the excellent figures of 2-19 and the Windies will surely be glad to see some pace on the ball from now on.

Darren Sammy arrives at the crease with work to do for his team. "No soft dismissal for the skipper here boys," chirps Brendon McCullum from behind the stumps. Just two singles from the over, leaving Ronnie Hira to finish with 1-24.

With Gayle in the hutch, New Zealand go to spin for the first time. Daniel Vettori is missing out with an Achilles tendon injury, so fellow left-armer Ronnie Hira attempts to fill his boots. With facial hair to match that of Vettori, Hira starts well, giving it some loop from around the wicket. Only one single from the set, good stuff from Ronnie.

I kid you not, Darren Bravo has arrived at the crease in blue shoes. Brave. I own a couple of pairs of blue shoes, but would never bat in them. I'd suggest he might want to bat well if he's going wear wheels like that. A couple of singles get him under way.

Perhaps in an act of mercy, Kyle Mills is withdrawn from the attack to be replaced by Tim Southee. With a long on in place for Gayle, Southee starts well and, with the help of that man on the straight fence, concedes five singles and a wide. 43-2 off five, pretty even at this stage?

Kyle Mills oversteps from the first ball of the day, but Charles can't take advantage of the free hit. With the ball swinging away from the right-hander, he gets off the mark with a thick outside edge that goes to third man for four. When Mills is short, Charles cuts, leaving Jacob Oram running through treacle trying to cut the ball off. He can't stop the boundary and gets a hand-on-hips stare from Mills, who looks as disappointed as an American golfer.

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