St Lucian cruise

CASTRIES, St Lucia (AP):

England cruised into the final of the World Twenty20 after producing a clinical display with bat and ball to beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets at Beausejour Stadium yesterday.

Man of the match Stuart Broad took two for 21 to help limit Sri Lanka, who won the toss, to 128 for six despite a top score of 58 by Angelo Mathews.

Openers Craig Kieswetter (39) and Michael Lumb (33) got the pursuit off to a flying start and allowed England to ease home, Kevin Pietersen (42 not out off 26 balls) sealing victory with four overs remaining. Thissara Perera claimed two for 19 but Sri Lanka were soundly beaten.

England will play either Australia or Pakistan in Sunday's final. These two countries will meet in the second semi-final today.

great start

The catalyst for England's victory was its bowlers, who were disciplined throughout and gave their side a great start.

Sri Lanka slipped to 26 for three inside the fifth over, with the seam bowling of Broad, Ryan Sidebottom and Tim Bresnan doing the trick.

Left-armer Sidebottom gave England a fine start by removing the out-of-form Sanath Jayasuriya (1), who edged a catch to England skipper Paul Collingwood at second slip.

Bresnan added the wicket of Tillakaratne Dilshan (9) and Broad picked up the key scalp of Mahela Jayawardene (10) to leave the Sri Lankans reeling. Dilshan miscued a pull to deep square leg while Jayawardene edged to wicketkeeper Kieswetter.

the late overs

Offspinner Graeme Swann (one for 20) removed captain Kumar Sangakkara (16) to further set the innings back at 47 for four off nine overs, although Mathews dominated the late overs to reach his first international Twenty20 half-century, off 40 deliveries.

Kieswetter and Lumb powered England's victory charge with a first-wicket stand of 68 off 49 balls.

They had a few slices of luck, Kieswetter surviving a very close lbw shout and Lumb a couple of run-out scares before blossoming.

Kieswetter struck five fours and two sixes before he was bowled by a slower ball from Lasith Malinga. Lumb hit three fours and two sixes before falling to Perera.

Pietersen, recently returned from England where he was present at the birth of his first child, clinched the win with a six and four off successive balls from Malinga.