Sri Lanka's batsman Sanath Jayasuriya swings during the Twenty20 World Cup match against New Zealand at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg yesterday. Jayasuriya made a match-winning 61. - AP

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters):

SANATH JAYASURIYA made his second half-century in two days as Sri Lanka eased to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in their Twenty20 World Cup match in Johannesburg yesterday.

Jayasuriya, who scored 88 off 44 balls against Kenya on Friday at the same venue, needed the same number of deliveries yesterday to score 61 as Sri Lanka cruised to 168 for three in 18.5 overs.

The left-hander's top-class innings included six fours and three sixes and he set Sri Lanka on the road to victory with a first-wicket stand of 82 off 46 balls with Upul Tharanga (37).

Sri Lanka's momentum slowed when spinner Daniel Vettori removed Tharanga and medium-pacer Scott Styris dismissed Kumar Sangakkara (14), both caught in the deep, but captain Mahela Jayawardena provided the finishing touches with his 35 not out off 18 deliveries.

nightmare for bond

Vettori (4-0-23-2) and Styris (3-0-16-1) were the pick of the Kiwi bowlers, while Shane Bond had a nightmare afternoon as he conceded 45 runs in his four overs and conspired to drop Jayasuriya twice in successive deliveries when he had 38 and 40.

Earlier, Ross Taylor's half-century enabled New Zealand to post a competitive total.

Taylor scored 62 off 43 balls, with three fours and three sixes, as New Zealand scored 164 for seven in their 20 overs.

Taylor came to the crease after New Zealand, electing to bat first, had lost two early wickets and he immediately shared a 70-run stand for the third wicket with Peter Fulton (25).

The 23-year-old then added 51 off 36 balls with Jacob Oram, who finished with 33 not out off 19 balls with a pair of sixes, for the sixth wicket as the New Zealand innings ended with some destructive hitting.

tight bowling

Apart from those two partnerships, wickets fell regularly through the innings, with two of them falling to paceman Dilhara Fernando, while Jayasuriya also bowled tightly, taking one for 25 in four overs. Meanwhile in Cape Town, steady batting by Graeme Smith and Albie Morkel earned South Africa a seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in their Twenty20 World Cup match. Bangladesh were dismissed for 144 and South Africa replied with 146 for three to win with seven balls remaining of the Group A match.

Smith and Morkel each scored 41 and put on 43 runs for the second wicket after Smith and J.P. Duminy, who made 36, had shared an opening stand of 65.

Two moments of fielding brilliance by Duminy had helped South Africa limit the Bangladesh batsmen.

Duminy's dive and under-arm throw from extra cover ran out Shakib Al Hasan for 19 in the eighth over.

Three overs later Duminy backpedalled and dived to take a spectacular catch after Masharafe Mortaza, who scored 12, skied a drive off fast bowler Vernon Philander.

Bangladesh, who were put in to bat, scored freely early in their innings, but struggled to keep the momentum going once the wickets began to mount.

Aftab Ahmed hit five fours in his 36, Bangladesh's top score, while South Africa paceman Shaun Pollock took three for 40.