Football
Reuters 17y

Cricket-South Africa and New Zealand remain wary of shocks

By Mark Meadows

GROS ISLET, St Lucia, March 20 - South Africa and
New Zealand seem destined for the Super Eights but they are
taking nothing for granted against outsiders Scotland and Kenya
on Tuesday.

Saturday's shock wins by Bangladesh and Ireland over India
and Pakistan respectively have turned the form book upside down,
while New Zealand are still smarting from their defeat by
Bangladesh in the warm-ups.

"The upsets have kept every one of the top teams on their
toes," South Africa captain Graeme Smith said.

"It just shows that if you're not up for it, and if you
don't perform to your levels, you can put yourself under
pressure."

Smith also said his team would make their Group A match
against Scotland in St Kitts a tribute to Bob Woolmer.

Pakistan coach Woolmer, formerly in charge of South Africa,
died in Jamaica on Sunday.

"We were all pretty shocked when we found out," he said.

"A lot of us knew Bob pretty well and there's a huge sadness
among the guys."

South Africans will be seeking a repeat performance of
Friday's demolition of the Netherlands, when they won by a
national record 221 runs and Herschelle Gibbs hit six sixes in
an over.

They have to keep up the intensity ahead of the final group
match with world champions Australia on Saturday. With both
teams set to qualify for the Super Eights, the winner of that
game will take two points into the next stage.

New Zealand have a similar situation in their Group C game
with 2003 semi-finalists Kenya in St Lucia.

Despite beating England by six wickets on Friday, the Black
Caps need to defeat Kenya to make sure of two Super Eight points
because the improving Africans could also qualify with a win
over England on Saturday.

"We've got two points to carry through should England
qualify," New Zealand coach John Bracewell told reporters.

"That's the importance of the Kenyan match. We have to win
that just in case it's Kenya who qualify because they are the
other team with two points in the bag."

Bracewell has hinted he will rotate his squad for the match
but fast bowler Mark Gillespie is not expected to be fit as he
continues to recover from a numb shoulder.

The seven-week World Cup culminates in the Barbados final on
April 28.

(Additional reporting by Telford Vice in Basseterre, St.
Kitts)

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