West Indies captain Darren Sammy (right) watches as Dwayne Bravo (centre) celebrates with a teammate after dismissing Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara during a warm up match. (AFP)


Agencies/Dhaka


Australia came through a riveting clash against New Zealand, edging past its neighbours by three runs in a high-scoring thriller at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah yesterday. This was Australia’s only warm-up match of the ICC World Twenty20 2014, while New Zealand ended its warm-up fixtures with two defeats.
Australia had the upper hand after it posted a mammoth 200 for 7 and the bowlers held their nerve to keep New Zealand to 197 for 9 in 20 overs. New Zealand failed to capitalise on a good start provided by Martin Guptill, the opener, who blasted his way to a 34-ball 62. His knock comprised five boundaries and four sixes. Evan as Nathan Coulter-Nile accounted for Kane Williamson (17), Guptill and Brendon McCullum, the captain, associated for a 64-run second-wicket stand.  
Luke Ronchi (29) and Corey Anderson (21) then added 51 runs for the sixth wicket as New Zealand came back briefly, before Mitchell Starc struck to get rid of both well-set batsmen.  New Zealand failed to recover from the double blow. With nine required off the last over, two quick wickets further hurt Kiwis.
Earlier, David Warner and Aaron Finch turned up the heat right from the start amassing 113 from just 48 balls. Warner hit three sixes and a four off Ronnie Hira and raced to his half-century from just 20 balls before retiring out. Finch retired out after a 22-ball 47.  Australia take on Pakistan in the main round on Sunday, while New Zealand square off against England on Saturday.
Bravo, Narine take
West Indies to victory
In another match, an all-round effort from Dwayne Bravo and a four-wicket haul by Sunil Narine helped the West Indies score a 33-run win over Sri Lanka.
Darren Sammy’s late 30-run blitz took the West Indies to 172 for 5 in its allocated 20 overs at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. Sri Lanka struggled from the outset to fall well short, being bowled out for 139 in 19.2 overs.
Defending 173, the West Indies, made early inroads to dismiss Kusal Perera (4) and Mahela Jayawardena (0), within the first four overs. Kumar Sangakkara (24) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (43) then shared a 54-run stand for the third wicket to stabilise the innings before Bravo struck twice.  
Narine picked up three wickets in the 16th over to reduce Sri Lanka to 109 for 8. Nuwan Kulasekara tried to duplicate his heroics from the previous game, where he remained unbeaten on 21 off 14, but with 39 required, he only ended up giving Narine a fourth wicket.
Bravo came back to end Sri Lanka’s innings, bowling Sachitra Senanayake in the final over, returning figures of 3 for 29.
 
Brief scores:
Australia 200 for 7 in 20 overs (A Finch 47, D Warner 65; Kyle Mills 2 for 21) bt New Zealand 197 for 9 in 20 overs (M. Guptil 62, B. McCulum 37. C Anderson 29. L Ronchi 21; M Starc 2-31, N Coulter-Nile  2-36)
West Indies 172 for 5 in 20 overs (D Smith 60, D Bravo 43, D Sammy 30 not out; R Herath 2-20) bt Sri Lanka 139 all out in 19.2 overs (T Dilshan     b Bravo 43,  K Sangakkara 24, A Mathews 18; S Narine 4-24, D Bravo 3-29)