ICC Trophy: Second Division teams face tough road to 2003 World Cup

Teams competing in the Second Division of this year's ICC Trophy in Canada in June/July will need good luck and good weather if they are to qualify for the 2003 World Cup.

While it is mathematically possible for the 12 Second Division teams to earn one of the three qualifying places, they will have to rely on a closely contested First Division and little weather interference.

The 12 Second Division teams are split into two groups of six. The winners of each group proceed through to a play-off match against the fourth placed team of the two First Division groups.

What is potentially contentious is that should the Second Division team win that play-off match it inherits the points accumulated by the fourth placed First Division team during the two division stage of the tournament. The Second Division team does not retain any of its points earnt during the two division stage.

The best case scenario for the Second Division team is that the First Division stage is extremely close. Mathematically the maximum amount the fourth placed team can earn is four points.

Again in the unlikely case that the First Division is very even, the fourth placed team could finish one win behind the first placed team, meaning the Second Division winner needs to make up little ground during the Super Eights stage.

Yet again, mathematically speaking, the main problem for the winner of the Second Division winner, should it win the play-off, is that the Super Eights stage is shorter than the initial two division stage of the tournament, giving it little scope to overcome any deficit inherited during the first period.

Rain interference would mean two things for the Second Division winner - the play-off winner could go into the next stage with as few as three points, and should rain intervene during the Super Eights stage, it gives the Second Division team virtually no chance to make up ground.

The format of the ICC Trophy likely to be confirmed at this week's meeting of the ICC's Executive Board in Melbourne.

Yet some Second Division countries were still unaware of the situation relating to the inheritance of points by the winner of the play-off match when 'Beyond The Test World' spoke to them at the weekend.

An official of one the countries favoured to top one of the Second Division described the format as 'unfair' but would not comment further until he had discussed it with his national association.

BTTW will have all of the news relating to the buildup to the ICC Trophy in the coming months.