Tim Southee provided the spark to help propel New Zealand into the semifinals at the under-19 cricket World Cup in Malaysia last night.
The tall medium-fast bowler knocked the top off the Sri Lankan batting before New Zealand went on to win their quarterfinal by 80 runs inKuala Lumpur.
They now play India in the semifinals on Wednesday.
Southee's intervention was timely as the New Zealanders sought to defend their unconvincing total of 213 after being invited to bat first.
The Twenty20 senior international responded in the best possible fashion, his opening spell of three for 23 off six overs being chiefly responsible for Sri Lanka's stuttering start from which they never recovered.
Sri Lanka were 44 for four after 11 overs and 86 for five in the 24th before Sachith Pathirana resisted the New Zealanders with an innings of 42 until Nicholas Beard had him stumped by wicketkeeper Michael Guptill-Bunce.
Southee ended with figures of three for 25 off eight overs while Beard got amongst the tail to capture three for 15 off 8.1 and Anurag Verma took two for 22.
Sri Lanka's spin bowlers were mostly responsible for restricting New Zealand to 213 in 49.5 overs.
Openers George Worker and captain Kane Williamson both got underway but couldn't press on, Worker slaving over 94 balls to topscore with 47 while Williamson was more fluent, making 34 off 49.
Fraser Colson later chimed in with 39 off 43 and Greg Morgan made 22 off 25.
They found it particularly difficult to up the tempo against Umesh Karunarathna and Roshane Silva, who took six wickets between them at a collective cost of 77 runs.
Abbreviated scores:
New Zealand 213 in 49.5 overs (George Worker 47, Fraser Colson 39, Kane Williamson 34, Greg Morgan 22; Umesh Karunarathna 3-38, Roshane Silva 3-39) bt Sri Lanka 133 in 42.1 overs (Sachith Pathirana 42; Nicholas Beard 3-15, Tim Southee 3-25, Anurag Verma 2-22) by 80 runs.
New Zealand play India in the semifinal on Wednesday.
