<p>Skipper Kane Williamson hit a quickfire half-century to all but take New Zealand into the Twenty20 World Cup semi-finals as they hammered Ireland by 35 runs on Friday.</p>.<p>Williamson's 35-ball 61 guided New Zealand to 185-6 and their bowlers kept Ireland down to 150-9 to top Group 1 with seven points after their final Super 12 match in Adelaide.</p>.<p>Australia, who next play Afghanistan at the same venue, and England can go level on points with New Zealand if they win, but the Black Caps have a far superior net run rate. Only a mathematical miracle can push them out now.</p>.<p>Williamson rocked back to form after he failed to convert starts in the earlier matches as New Zealand dominated on a sunny afternoon, despite a hat-trick by Ireland fast bowler Joshua Little.</p>.<p>New Zealand were cruising at 174-3 in the 19th over when the left-arm quick removed Williamson, James Neesham and Mitchell Santner on successive balls in Adelaide.</p>.<p>It was the second hat-trick of this edition of the World Cup after Karthik Meiyappan of the United Arab Emirates against Sri Lanka in round one.</p>.<p>Little's strikes checked New Zealand's surge, but Williamson, with his first fifty of this tournament, had already put his team on course for a challenging total.</p>.<p>Daryl Mitchell hit an unbeaten 21-ball 31 and put on a key partnership of 60 with Williamson, who was under scrutiny for his slow batting but smashed five fours and three sixes in his 35-ball knock.</p>.<p>Finn Allen and Devon Conway started cautiously against a disciplined Irish bowling attack after being invited to bat first.</p>.<p>Allen broke the shackles in the fourth over as he smashed leg-spinner Gareth Delany for three fours including two on consecutive deliveries.</p>.<p>He kept up the charge and hit a six and four off fast bowler Mark Adair before the bowler got him caught at mid-off on the next ball as the Kiwis reached 52-1 at the end of six overs.</p>.<p>The left-handed Conway found it tough to accelerate despite a couple of boundaries but stood in a 44-run stand with Williamson.</p>.<p>New Zealand lost their way in the middle with Delany taking two wickets including Glenn Phillips for 17, but Williamson soon took charge.</p>.<p>Paul Stirling (37) and Andrew Balbirnie (30) got the Irish off to a flier in their opening partnership of 68 off 49 balls.</p>.<p>The giant-killing Irish team had taken down two-time champions the West Indies in round one and then shocked England in a rain-hit Super 12 clash.</p>.<p>But Balbirnie chopped one on to his stumps off Santner and fellow spinner Ish Sodhi bowled Stirling in the next over to douse Ireland's hopes as their chase fell apart.</p>.<p>Fast bowler Lockie Ferguson returned figures of 3-22 after a double strike in his fourth over. Santner, Sodhi and fast bowler Tim Southee took two wickets each.</p>
<p>Skipper Kane Williamson hit a quickfire half-century to all but take New Zealand into the Twenty20 World Cup semi-finals as they hammered Ireland by 35 runs on Friday.</p>.<p>Williamson's 35-ball 61 guided New Zealand to 185-6 and their bowlers kept Ireland down to 150-9 to top Group 1 with seven points after their final Super 12 match in Adelaide.</p>.<p>Australia, who next play Afghanistan at the same venue, and England can go level on points with New Zealand if they win, but the Black Caps have a far superior net run rate. Only a mathematical miracle can push them out now.</p>.<p>Williamson rocked back to form after he failed to convert starts in the earlier matches as New Zealand dominated on a sunny afternoon, despite a hat-trick by Ireland fast bowler Joshua Little.</p>.<p>New Zealand were cruising at 174-3 in the 19th over when the left-arm quick removed Williamson, James Neesham and Mitchell Santner on successive balls in Adelaide.</p>.<p>It was the second hat-trick of this edition of the World Cup after Karthik Meiyappan of the United Arab Emirates against Sri Lanka in round one.</p>.<p>Little's strikes checked New Zealand's surge, but Williamson, with his first fifty of this tournament, had already put his team on course for a challenging total.</p>.<p>Daryl Mitchell hit an unbeaten 21-ball 31 and put on a key partnership of 60 with Williamson, who was under scrutiny for his slow batting but smashed five fours and three sixes in his 35-ball knock.</p>.<p>Finn Allen and Devon Conway started cautiously against a disciplined Irish bowling attack after being invited to bat first.</p>.<p>Allen broke the shackles in the fourth over as he smashed leg-spinner Gareth Delany for three fours including two on consecutive deliveries.</p>.<p>He kept up the charge and hit a six and four off fast bowler Mark Adair before the bowler got him caught at mid-off on the next ball as the Kiwis reached 52-1 at the end of six overs.</p>.<p>The left-handed Conway found it tough to accelerate despite a couple of boundaries but stood in a 44-run stand with Williamson.</p>.<p>New Zealand lost their way in the middle with Delany taking two wickets including Glenn Phillips for 17, but Williamson soon took charge.</p>.<p>Paul Stirling (37) and Andrew Balbirnie (30) got the Irish off to a flier in their opening partnership of 68 off 49 balls.</p>.<p>The giant-killing Irish team had taken down two-time champions the West Indies in round one and then shocked England in a rain-hit Super 12 clash.</p>.<p>But Balbirnie chopped one on to his stumps off Santner and fellow spinner Ish Sodhi bowled Stirling in the next over to douse Ireland's hopes as their chase fell apart.</p>.<p>Fast bowler Lockie Ferguson returned figures of 3-22 after a double strike in his fourth over. Santner, Sodhi and fast bowler Tim Southee took two wickets each.</p>