Broad’s men manage to edge out Australia

Stuart Broad’s team left Nondescripts CC in Colombo with the morale boost of a fifth successive win this year over their oldest enemies, and the team they also beat to clinch their T20 title in Barbados two years ago.

Broad made perhaps the most critical contribution, his only wicket accounting for Michael Hussey (71) who had made an Australian victory likely with a barrage of big-hitting off England’s young spinner Danny Briggs.

The left-hander went lbw to the England captain, and Australia fell short of 172-6, a total underpinned by Alex Hales’s half-century at the top of the order.

Hales’s 36-ball 50 was one of a clutch of useful performances, the others from Eoin Morgan and Luke Wright with the bat and Steven Finn and Graeme Swann with the ball.

Kamran Akmal struck a superb unbeaten 92 as Pakistan chased down an imposing target of 186 to beat India by five wickets in their warm-up match in Colombo.

India had scored 185-3 with Virat Kohli 75 not out off 47 balls. Rohit Sharma made 56.

South Africa totalled 186-6 and were then made to sweat as New Zealand captain Ross Taylor threatened to win the game single-handedly for the Black Caps.

However, after smashing seven sixes and two fours in a 42-ball 75, Taylor fell in the 16th over and New Zealand could only make 177-8 with Dale Steyn claiming 4-25.

Chris Gayle made 65 as the West Indies claimed an eight-wicket win over Afghanistan, who had made 122-7, Asghar Stanikzai scoring 53.

Ireland edged out Bangladesh by five runs after a key final over from Trent Johnston, in which two wickets fell and only four runs were conceded.

Ireland had made 
164-6 (Paul Stirling, 71), and Bangladesh responded with159-9.

Fixture

Group C – Hambantota: Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe (15.00)