Exciting finish in race to last four (11 June 1999)
The Super Six round of the World Cup of cricket is down to its last three matches and who would have believed at this stage two of the top three favourites would be fighting for survival or that one of the rank outsiders would be in with a glorious
12-Jun-1999
11 June 1999
Exciting finish in race to last four
Tony Becca
The Super Six round of the World Cup of cricket is down to its last
three matches and who would have believed at this stage two of the
top three favourites would be fighting for survival or that one of
the rank outsiders would be in with a glorious chance of getting into
the last four.
That, however, is how it is.
With six points already in the bag, early favourites South Africa
have booked their place in the semi-finals and with five points in
their pockets, Zimbabwe, who started off the hunt for the title at
odds of 80-1, are looking good.
The two of the three early favourites who are fighting for survival
are Australia and Pakistan and although both could make it, one could
fail to do so. It will all depend on their fortunes in their final
matches of the round which will see Pakistan up against Zimbabwe
today, New Zealand versus India tomorrow and Australia up against
South Africa on Sunday.
If Pakistan defeat Zimbabwe as expected, they will go to six points
and will move on and if Australia defeat South Africa, they also will
move on to join South Africa in the last four.
If, however, Pakistan, who have lost their three previous matches,
lose to Zimbabwe, who beat them in a Test series in Pakistan last
year and who knocked off India and South Africa in the first round,
if Australia lose to South Africa and if New Zealand defeat India,
New Zealand will qualify with Pakistan and Australia tied for the
fourth spot.
If one wins and the other loses, the winner will automatically go
through, with the fate of the loser depending on what happens in the
New Zealand/India match.
If that happens and New Zealand defeat India, the loser will be out.
The losers' only chance then would be if India defeat New Zealand as
that would leave the loser and India tied on four points.
There is also one other possibility: if Pakistan and Australia win,
and if New Zealand defeat India, it would then be South Africa,
Pakistan and Australia through with six points each, Zimbabwe and New
Zealand tied on five with the tie-breaker rule to decide who would go
on.
Who will join South Africa in the last four? A good bet is that it
will be Pakistan, Australia and Zimbabwe. So much, however, as far as
upsets and surprises are concerned, has happened in World Cup '99
that there could be a twist or two still to come and it may all come
down, not only to the last match of the round between South Africa
and Australia who were first and second favourites at the start, but
also to the tie-breaker - to who won most matches against the Super
Six qualifiers, to the winner of the head-to-head clash if two teams
finished tied, to the winner of most matches involving the teams tied
if more than two are tied, to runrate, to wicket rate per balls
bowled in matches against Super Six qualifiers in which results were
achieved, and if they are still tied after that, to the drawing of
lots.
Source :: The Jamaica Gleaner