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It's tight for last three Super 6 berths

By Julian Linden
March 02, 2003 17:21 IST
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The 2003 World Cup could hardly be tighter, with 10 of the 14 teams who began the tournament still in contention for the trophy with just two days of group matches remaining.

Bangladesh, Canada, Namibia and the Netherlands are the only teams eliminated but all the rest have a chance of reaching the second phase.

Australia, India and Kenya have already qualified for the Super Sixes and any of England, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, New Zealand and West Indies could join them.

Defending champions Australia, the only side to win all their games before Sunday, are guaranteed to top Group A with India secure in second place.

Co-hosts Kenya, meanwhile, with a shock win over Sri Lanka and a forfeit victory over New Zealand, are the only team already through from Group B.

If teams finish on equal points, those with the most wins in the group go through. If still level, the winners of the head-to-head matches go through. If they still cannot be separated, run rates come into play.

Zimbabwe will grab the final spot in Group A if they win their last match against Pakistan in Bulawayo on Tuesday but, if Pakistan win, any of England, Zimbabwe or Pakistan can still make it.

A Pakistan win and England would go through if they beat Australia at Port Elizabeth on Sunday. Should Nasser Hussain's side lose, however, all three teams would be level on points and the final qualifier would be decided by net run rate.

Group B, astonishingly, is even tighter with Sri Lanka, South Africa, New Zealand and West Indies fighting over two places.

The pool hinges on Monday's day-night clash between Sri Lanka and South Africa at Kingsmead in Durban.

The winner of that game will almost certainly go through, but the final place will still be wide open.

New Zealand have lost only once, to Sri Lanka, but their decision to forfeit their Nairobi game against Kenya continues to haunt them. They will only go through if South Africa lose to Sri Lanka and they win their final match against Canada.

West Indies, the least likely to advance, need to win their last game against Kenya on Tuesday, and hope that South Africa and New Zealand both lose, to get through.

But, if New Zealand and South Africa both win, calculators will be needed to decide the final spots on run rates.

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Julian Linden
Source: REUTERS
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