ST GEORGE’S—Kumar Sangakkara and Sanath Jayasuriya hit half centuries yesterday to lead Sri Lanka to a surprisingly easy six-wicket victory over New Zealand and a share of the lead in the World Cup Super 8s.

Sangakkara hit 69 not out and Jayasuriya made 64 to help earn Sri Lanka the two points that took it to eight in the standings, the same as the Kiwis and tournament favorite Australia.

Sri Lanka reached 222 for seven wickets at Grenada National Stadium and made almost certain of its place in the semifinals. New Zealand is still likely to make the last four, but has matches against Australia and fourth-place South Africa to come.

New Zealand had been aiming for its national record-equaling 10th straight win but struggled to 219-7. Several dropped catches and a raft of unnecessary extras at the start of Sri Lanka’s reply then contributed to the defeat.

Scott Styris had hit 111 not out for his fourth one-day century in an otherwise disappointing batting performance by New Zealand.

Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan each took three wickets for Sri Lanka, the former removing Stephen Fleming and Ross Taylor in the first three overs.

Fleming had won the toss and chose to bat. But the decision looked to be a poor one when Vaas dismissed the New Zealand captain and Taylor on his way to figures of 3-33.

With Fleming having apparently misread the pitch, Sri Lanka made light of the absence of pace bowler Lasith Malinga, who was out after damaging left ankle ligaments in training.

Sri Lanka was then 13-0 before scoring a run with the bat after five wides, four byes and four leg byes in the first nine balls.

Fleming dropped Upul Tharanga at point when he was on eight and the opener was out for 11 later in the same fifth over when he failed to cleanly strike James Franklin’s delivery and hit it to Bond, who took a flying catch on the boundary.

Sangakkara was next in and was also dropped, this time on nine by Craig McMillan at mid on from a slower ball by Bond.

Mark Gillespie came on to bowl his first over of the tournament after recovering from a viral infection and it went for 18. Jayasuriya hit his first two balls for 10, taking Sri Lanka past 50 at a rate of better than a run a ball, and Fleming dropped Jayasuriya again shortly after.

Sri Lanka got to 100 from 112 balls in the 18th over, by which time New Zealand had been 63-2.

The mistakes kept coming from a New Zealand team usually among the best fielding sides in the world. Oram failed to cut out a routine ball along the floor on the on side at third man, conceding a boundary.

The 100-run stand was broken when Jayasuriya edged Jacob Oram to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum, who was standing up to the stumps. Jayasuriya had hit one six and five fours in his 80-ball 64.

Daniel Vettori, the only spinner in the Black Caps’ side after Gillespie replaced Jeetan Patel, got rid of Mahela Jayawardene (15) and Chamara Silva (23) to make it 180-4.

Sangakkara and Tillekeratne Dilshan, who made 14, then guided Sri Lanka to victory with a sedate procession of singles until Sangakkara hit the winning runs with a four.

New Zealand had started badly when Vaas had Fleming trapped leg-before-wicket for nought with the fifth ball of the day.

That moved Vaas above India’s Javagal Srinath to take sole possession of third place in the list of all-time World Cup wicket takers.

Taylor, who had returned after missing four matches because of a hamstring strain, followed for nought with a thick edge to wicketkeeper Sangakkara and the Kiwis struggled to 18-2 from 10 overs.

Peter Fulton had a let off on 22 when he skied a shot from Farveez Maharoof straight to Jayawardene at midwicket. But the umpires called a no ball for overstepping.

The 67-run stand was broken when Fulton tried to slog Vaas and Chamara Silva took the catch at deep square leg for 28.

The Kiwis lost another wicket six runs later when Muralitharan tempted McMillan into a sweep that Silva easily gathered to remove him for one.

Styris and Jacob Oram added 64 for the fifth wicket and, when Oram moved to 31 with a huge six off Dilshan at the start of the 38th over, it was New Zealand’s first boundary since the 19th.

Trying to repeat the stroke two balls later, Oram dragged it slightly and skied it to Maharoof. McCullum fell lbw to Muralitharan in the next over and the spinner finished with 3-32.

Styris, who had taken 20 balls to get off the mark, brought up his century off 152 balls.