Cricket: Australia in position to plot route to Cup final

2.00pm

JOHANNESBURG - Australia will go through to the World Cup Super Sixes in prime position to plot their own route right to the March 23 final.

The world champions go through to the second phase with a maximum of 12 points.

One more win - they face Sri Lanka in Centurion on Friday in the opening match of the second phase before taking on Kenya and New Zealand - and they will be heading for the final four.

Coach John Buchanan, however, has already made it clear that the world champions, a record 12 consecutive one-day wins to their credit, are determined to retain their momentum.

That will not only keep up team morale but also allow the Australians to sidestep the second semi-final, a day-nighter in Durban where the toss could favour one side significantly.

While Pakistan and England joined South Africa and West Indies in the airport departure lounge on Tuesday, all of them wringing rainwater from their cricket trousers, unheralded Kenya and Zimbabwe were preparing for the next round.

Steve Tikolo's Kenyans, yet to earn test status, were hammered by 142 runs by Carl Hooper's side on Tuesday yet, extraordinarily, will go into the second round as Australia's nearest challengers on 10 points.

West Indies captain Hooper said: "No disrespect to the Kenyans or the Zimbabweans but obviously they are not two of the strongest teams in their groups, but that's basically just a reflection of the rules we play by."

Kenya were helped by a shock win over Sri Lanka and a 'forfeit win' after New Zealand refused to travel to Nairobi over security concerns.

With teams taking four points for each victory over fellow group qualifiers into the second stage, as well as one point from each win against eliminated sides, India will start with eight points in the Super Sixes with Sri Lanka half a point behind.


New Zealand and Zimbabwe, meanwhile, have everything to do, with four and three-and-a-half points respectively. New Zealand, though, could still make the last four with two wins in the second phase.

Rain hammered the final nail into England's hopes of qualifying on Tuesday.

Zimbabwe, who also made the second round in 1999, beat Nasser Hussain's team to the final qualifying spot when their Group A game against Pakistan in Bulawayo was washed out, giving the home team two extra points and taking them to 14, two ahead of England.

Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak, however, reminded England that they had chosen not to play in Harare because of security concerns.

"It's not in our hands what happens with the weather, and England didn't come and play that match," he said. "Those two factors have obviously played a big part in us getting through... But that's beyond our control as players."

On Monday hosts South Africa were knocked out of the tournament when their crunch game against Sri Lanka ended in a tie as rain cut short the home side's run chase in cruel fashion.

Earlier in the tournament, West Indies, also eliminated on Monday, lost two certain points in a washed-out game against Bangladesh.

The six-week tournament, expanded to 14 teams including four minnow sides, has not allowed for reserve days for rain-affected first-round games.

Australia have had no real rain problems.

They survived their only scare when the Netherlands, determined to enjoy every minute of their World Cup, agreed to play the world champions on a wet, sub-standard pitch at Potchefstroom.

The rain could yet play a role in the Super Sixes, although those matches have reserve days.

- REUTERS

World Cup schedule

Points table