Ireland laid low after the high

Sri Lanka cruised to an eight-wicket win over Ireland in the teams’ last World Cup Super 8s match on Wednesday...

Sri Lanka cruised to an eight-wicket win over Ireland in the teams’ last World Cup Super 8s match on Wednesday, easily passing a lowly victory total. Sri Lanka, which had already been assured of its place in the semi finals for almost a week, bowled out Ireland for a tournament low 77 before reaching 81-2 with 40 of its 50 overs to spare.

Opener Upal Thuranga fell in the opening over but Sanath Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardene shared an unbroken third-wicket stand of 56 to seal the result.

Farveez Maharoof and Muttiah Muralitharan had each taken four wickets for Sri Lanka, with Maharoof’s haul of 4-25 including the top four batsmen and three wickets in four balls. Muralitharan, who returned to the team after being rested for Monday’s defeat to Australia, finished with 4-19.

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Ireland’s total was the lowest of the tournament, replacing the 78 Bermuda managed against Sri Lanka in the first round. It was also the sixth lowest total in tournament history.

However, Ireland’s players took a well-deserved lap of honor after completing a first World Cup campaign that shocked everyone by stretching into the Super 8s.

Sri Lanka, which had qualified for the semi finals even before its seven-wicket defeat to tournament favorite Australia, is now certain to play its semi final in Jamaica on Tuesday. That will be against NZ unless they emphatically beat Australia on Friday.

–STUART CONDIE

SCOREBOARD

Ireland: J Bray c Arnold b Maharoof 20, W Porterfield c Jayasuriya b Maharoof 17, A Botha c Sangakkara b Maharoof 0, E Morgan c Sangakkara b Maharoof 0, N O’Brien c Sangakkara b Muralitharan 4, K O’Brien c Jayasuriya b Muralitharan 2, K Carroll b Muralitharan 0, T Johnston run out 0, K McCallan lbw Muralitharan 0, D Langford-Smith lbw Vaas 18, B Rankin not out 7

Extras (lb5, w2, nb2): 9; Total (all out, 27.4 overs): 77

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Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-28, 3-28, 4-46, 5-48, 6-48, 7-49, 8-49, 9-54

Bowling: Vaas 5.4-1-18-1, Kulasekara 7-3-10-0, Maharoof 10-3-25-4, Muralitharan 5-0-19-4

Sri Lanka: U Tharanga c Porterfield b Rankin 0, S Jayasuriya not out 0, K Sangakkara c Carroll b Langford-Smith 10, M Jayawerdene not out 39

Extras (lb5, w2, nb2): 9; Total (for 2 wkts, 10 overs): 81

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-25

Bowling: W Rankin 4-0-36-1, D Langford-Smith 3-0-29-1, A Botha 1-0-4-0, K O’Brien 1-0-4-0, K Carroll 1-0-8-0

Man of the Match: F Maharoof