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| April 7, 2003 | Monday | Safar 4, 1424 |
Windies and Kiwis qualify for semis
CASTRIES (St Lucia), April 6: West Indies and New Zealand played unbeaten to top their groups Saturday to reach the semifinals of the inaugural World Double-Wicket Cricket tournament at St Lucia’s Beausejour Cricket Ground.
The two teams will be joined by pairs representing Pakistan and Sri Lanka, which clinched the other two spots for Sunday’s semifinals.
The tournament winners will receive US$65,000 and the runners-up US$30,000.
Saturday’s play produced both disappointment and excitement. The clash between West Indians Carl Hooper ands Chris Gayle and Pakistanis Wasim Akram and Shahid Afridi, which had been billed as the match of the tournament, ended in an anticlimax when Pakistan conceded the match after Afridi suffered a back injury.
Later, England’s big-hitting Andrew Flintoff made up for the disappointment by belting 12 sixes, but was out four times and had his score reduced by 40. England’s 112 was the highest of the tournament so far, surpassing Pakistan’s 107 on Friday.
Pakistan started the day with an easy win over England, which scored 38. Afridi continued from where he left off on Friday, scoring 20 off the first over from Adam Hollioake, but then he suffered an injured back which restricted his movements and checked any further onslaught on the bowlers.
New Zealand then got the better of South Africa to make way for the much-anticipated West Indies-Pakistan clash. Batting first, the Pakistanis were in early trouble, Hooper taking four wickets in his first two overs. But Afridi’s injury soon became a factor and after four overs, Pakistan was minus 23 runs, six wickets having fallen altogether and Afridi in much discomfort. It was then that they decided to concede the game to the West Indies.
New Zealand overcame Australia, which opened the way for England’s rampage over Zimbabwe.
The Zimbabweans Alistair Campbell and Guy Whittall could manage just 16, Whittall being out three times in Hollioake’s first over.
In their response, Hollioake and Flintoff delighted the crowd by smashing sixes all over the grounds. Fintoff hit four off successive balls in a Whittall over for a personal score of 56.
Hollioake was equally aggressive in his 56.
In the final match of the day, Sri Lanka clinched its semifinal berth by winning over South Africa.
On Sunday, West Indies were scheduled to play Sri Lanka and Pakistan taking on New Zealand in the semifinals.
Saturday’s results:
England (38) lost by Pakistan (41) by three runs.
New Zealand (73) beat South Africa (34) by 39 runs.
Pakistan (-23) conceded defeat against West Indies (did not bat).
New Zealand (57) defeated Australia (53) by four runs.
Zimbabwe (16) lost to England (112) by 96 runs.
Sri Lanka (66) beat South Africa (39) by 27 runs.—APP/AP
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