JOHANNESBURG, March 16: New Zealand coach Denis Aberhart has criticised the format of the 2003 World Cup saying it is not necessarily designed to produce the best team in the world.

“I don’t think this format will necessarily find the best team in the world,” he said after his side’s exit from the Super Six stage on Saturday.

“Kenya and Zimbabwe got through (to the Super Six) because they both received points from forfeited games and were favoured by the lack of reserve days.

“And I’m not sure whether the system for carrying through points from the first round is a good idea. I tend to think everyone should start the second round afresh.”

Hosts South Africa, Pakistan, West Indies and England failed to reach the second round of the tournament. Pakistan and West Indies lost points due to rained-off matches while England forfeited their game against Zimbabwe in Harare over security concerns.

New Zealand got through to the second round despite forfeiting their match against Kenya in Nairobi, also over security worries. That decision damaged their chances of reaching the semifinals since it reduced the points carried through to the second phase.

Aberhart added: “I don’t think there’s much doubt that we would have qualified if we’d played Kenya.”

He stressed, however, the team had been let down by their batsmen in the final two matches against Australia and India.

“We got ourselves into a good position against Australia but couldn’t finish it off, and it was always going to be hard after making only 146 (against India) on Friday.

“Even then we had a chance to rescue the innings, we just needed someone to take responsibility and dig in for a big one.

“Everyone’s pretty down as you’d expect, but it’s not as if it was all gloom and doom. There were some very strong individual performances. Stephen Fleming led from the front and batted as well here as I’ve ever seen him bat.

“When it came to the heavyweights like Australia and India (pace bowler) Shane Bond showed just how good he is — he’s a world-class player.”

Bond took six for 23 against Australia, helping to reduce them to 84 for seven, and claimed 17 wickets at 17.94 apiece in all. Fleming topped the team’s batting averages with 45.85, including a match-winning 134 not out against South Africa.—Reuters