Australia, South Africa vie for $1,75,000 cricket prize

South Africa could lose their top One-day International cricket ranking and forego the $1,75,000 prize if they lose to fifth ranked Sri Lanka in a World Cup match Wednesday.

There is bad news for India also. Following their early exit from the World Cup, they could fall to as low as eighth place from their present sixth position.

But India (106 rating points) would slip provided the eighth-placed West Indies (103) and the seventh-placed England (105) register good results in the coming weeks.

South Africa displaced Australia from the top position of the International Cricket Council (ICC) ODI Championship last month, but Ricky Ponting's team could regain the No. 1 spot if they win their next two second round World Cup matches and receive $1,75,000 annual prize.

South Africa's task is easier. Graeme Smith's side should beat Sri Lanka in a second round match at the National Stadium in Georgetown, Guyana, ICC said here.

The second-placed team will collect $75,000.

Following Australia's victory over South Africa in St. Kitts Saturday, both teams are now on 126 points, but when they are calculated to three decimal points, the Proteas nudge in front.

However, if South Africa fail to beat Sri Lanka (109 rating points) and Australia beat the eighth-ranked West Indies (103) Tuesday and the ninth-ranked Bangladesh (44) Saturday Ponting's men will walk away with the championship.

If Australia beat the West Indies and Bangladesh and South Africa also beat Sri Lanka then both top teams will end up on 127 points by the cut-off date of April 1. Again, upon further calculation, South Africa would finish ahead of Australia by just 0.1199 of a point.

South Africa snatched first place from Australia last month following an outstanding streak over the past year in which they won 15 of their 21 matches, till just before the World Cup started March 11.

It is the first time a side has overtaken Australia in the ICC ODI Championship since the rankings were launched in October 2002.

Team rankings:

1. South Africa 126 rating points2. Australia 1263. New Zealand 1144. Pakistan 1105. Sri Lanka 1096. India 1067. England 1058. West Indies 1039. Bangladesh 4410. Zimbabwe 2211. Kenya 0

(IANS)

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