SA, NZ, India, WI reach Super 8s

BASSETERRE, St Kitts – Captain Graeme Smith just missed out his first World Cup century but still led South Africa to a seven-wicket win over Scotland and into the World Cup Super Eights on Tuesday.

Left-handed opener Smith smashed an attractive 65-ball 91 as the world number one team made short shrift of Scotland who were left with the consolation of having reached their highest World Cup score of 186-8. The win was wrapped up in the 24th over.Fellow opener AB de Villiers scored 62.The South Africa skipper put Scotland in to give his bowlers a chance before their crunch match against Australia on Saturday.* New Zealand qualified for the World Cup Super Eights thanks to an emphatic 148-run victory over Kenya in Group C on Tuesday.Ross Taylor hit 85 but was struck down with a hamstring strain in New Zealand’s 331 for seven.Kenya never got going in their rain-interrupted reply, slumping to 29 for four before being bowled out for 183 with four balls left.Ravi Shah offered some resistance, stroking a 89-ball 71.* World Cup hosts West Indies qualified for the Super Eights after a six-wicket victory over a gallant Zimbabwe in Group D on Monday.Sean Williams struck an unbeaten 70 as Zimbabwe recovered from 59 for four to make a total of 202 for five but Brian Lara’s side eventually reached the target with 13 balls to spare.Opener Chris Gayle hit an explosive 40 – including three consecutive sixes in one over – and then the Trinidadian pair of skipper Lara (44) and Dwayne Bravo (37) saw their team through to victory although both were dropped along the way.Zimbabwe’s Williams deservedly won the Man of the Match Award.* A Virender Sehwag century steered India to a record World Cup total as debutants Bermuda were crushed by the biggest ever one-day victory margin of 257 runs on Monday.India piled up 413 for five before Bermuda were skittled for 156 in the Group B encounter.India swept past Sri Lanka’s previous highest total of 398 for five, made against Kenya in 1996.Nampa-Reuters-AFPThe win was wrapped up in the 24th over.Fellow opener AB de Villiers scored 62.The South Africa skipper put Scotland in to give his bowlers a chance before their crunch match against Australia on Saturday.* New Zealand qualified for the World Cup Super Eights thanks to an emphatic 148-run victory over Kenya in Group C on Tuesday.Ross Taylor hit 85 but was struck down with a hamstring strain in New Zealand’s 331 for seven.Kenya never got going in their rain-interrupted reply, slumping to 29 for four before being bowled out for 183 with four balls left.Ravi Shah offered some resistance, stroking a 89-ball 71.* World Cup hosts West Indies qualified for the Super Eights after a six-wicket victory over a gallant Zimbabwe in Group D on Monday.Sean Williams struck an unbeaten 70 as Zimbabwe recovered from 59 for four to make a total of 202 for five but Brian Lara’s side eventually reached the target with 13 balls to spare.Opener Chris Gayle hit an explosive 40 – including three consecutive sixes in one over – and then the Trinidadian pair of skipper Lara (44) and Dwayne Bravo (37) saw their team through to victory although both were dropped along the way.Zimbabwe’s Williams deservedly won the Man of the Match Award.* A Virender Sehwag century steered India to a record World Cup total as debutants Bermuda were crushed by the biggest ever one-day victory margin of 257 runs on Monday.India piled up 413 for five before Bermuda were skittled for 156 in the Group B encounter.India swept past Sri Lanka’s previous highest total of 398 for five, made against Kenya in 1996.Nampa-Reuters-AFP