Pakistan/Peanut Brittle

New Zealand have become the latest team to expose the mental fragility of the Pakistani team with a thumping victory at Pallekele which has taken them to the top of Group A. In the process, Ross Taylor scored a stirring century which allowed the Kiwis to pass 300 and Pakistan folded up for only 192 after being 8-125.

As usual with Afridi's side - indeed all Pakistani sides since they lost the steel spine that was Imran Khan - early setbacks rattled them. This time it was two disgraceful misses by the perennial bad boy behind the stumps, Kamran Akmal, which shook the Gold Star boys. Heads went down, plans were thrown out and the infighting started. Ross Taylor was the recipient of Akmal's favour on both occasions and he flooded through the open gate to destroy Pakistan with eight 4's and seven heaved 6's, most of them over leg side boundaries. In Shoaib's 28 run eighth and last over, Taylor took two 4's and three 6's, the last of which gave him his century. As if to prove it no fluke, Taylor improved on the dose, taking 28 from Shoaib's replacement Razzaq with the same mix of boundaries but a heave to long on for two added for good measure, his last 55 runs coming off just 13 deliveries.

Afridi could do nothing but watch as his bowlers served up waist high full tosses. No doubt, the same questions which have been asked about Kamran Akmal will be made into accusations again. If he's not corrupt, then he's inept. Either way, he doesn't deserve to be be playing international cricket.

Mills, Southee and Oram soon had Pakistan 6-66 and the game was over. Abdur Razzaq and Umar Gul provide some guts to the innings but Nathan McCullum and Billy Ray Styris eventually closed the innings down. For Pakistan, this is not really a setback - its the way they play their cricket. Brilliant one day, brittle the next and its why bookmakers have put their claws so deeply into their skin because their play gives the unbelievable credibility.

The Kiwis played very well but may yet pay a terrible price for the win after skipper Dan Vettori limped from the field with a knee injury. The good news may be that he could limp, as the serious stuff of knees like ACl's, usually makes even limping impossible. The other point of interest was the negligible impact of spin in Kandy.

Ireland, England and New Zealand have breathed life back into the tournament.