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Sri Lanka beat Ireland by 9 runs in hard contest

June 14, 2009,LONDON: Sri Lanka preserved their unbeaten record at the World Twenty20 with a nine run Super Eights win over Ireland at Lord's on Sunday but only after they'd been given a huge fright by the minnows.Chasing 145, Ireland openers provided a solid start of 59 runs in 9.1 overs but the Sri Lankan spinning pair of Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis controlled the situation and Ireland wickets were falling at regular intervals. However, Ireland were on 135 for seven when 20 overs were completed.Their top scorers were captain William Porterfield, Niall Obrien and John Mooney. They all made 31 runs each.For Sri Lanka, pacer Lasith Malinga and off-break bowler Mendis claimed two wickets for 19 and 22 runs, respectively. Muralitharan took one wicket.Earlier, minnows Ireland bowlers restricted Sri Lanka to 144-9 in the allotted 20 overs.Only former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene's 78 prevented complete collapse in an innings where the next best score was Sanath Jayasuriya's 27.Brisbane-born seamer Alex Cusack, who took two wickets in an over, finished with fine figures of four wickets for 18 runs in his three overs but Sri Lanka, unbeaten at the tournament so far, were already in trouble before he came on.Former Ireland captain Trent Johnston, also born in Australia, took one for 18 in his four overs while the recalled Boyd Rankin had two for 27.Tight bowling was backed up by fine fielding, wicket-keeper Niall O'Brien setting the tone with three catches and a stumping.Jayawardene batted with typical elegance during a 53-ball innings featuring a six and nine fours.But he was clean bowled by Cusack and four balls later the medium-pacer removed Jehan Mubarak to give Ireland, who at the last World Cup two years ago in the Caribbean beat both Bangladesh and Pakistan, hope of another famous win.Ireland struck an early blow when, off only the second ball of the match, the dangerous Tillekaratne Dilshan went for a duck after a miscued pull off Rankin was safely held by O'Brien.The keeper, who plays for English county side Northamptonshire, then took an even better catch when, standing up, he held an edge from opposing keeper and Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara off Johnston.Ireland made two changes from the team that lost to New Zealand by 83 runs at Trent Bridge on Thursday.Andrew White returned in place of Gary Wilson and pace bowler Boyd Rankin came in for Peter Connell.

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