| Implications of Bangladesh upset of South Africa
While most other teams would be pleased at the sight of last night's stunning Bangladesh win over the supposed World No:1 team South Africa, the individual reactions and plans would be somewhat different.
Australia would probably be least affected. Already confident and having convincingly beaten both teams involved, they'll probably feel that a third consecutive World Cup victory (and fourth overall) is now close at hand.
New Zealand will be pleased to have indirectly strengthen their position on the Points Table and gain confidence from the ease with which they handled the BD spinners themselves. But knowing that they have to face a desperate South Africa, not to mention Australia and Sri Lanka, they will be busy making plans.
Sri Lanka will look at the result with mixed feelings, ruing their own narrow loss to the Proteas and know that they cannot afford any slip-ups themselves in the "foregone" match against Ireland; also, they still have two big matches against Australia and New Zealand coming up.
England's pleasure at an indirectly improved position will be tempered by the prospect of their own awkward match against Bangladesh now an additional thing to worry about and prepare for. They will also have to face a desperate South Africa and maybe even a resuscitated West Indies.
The West Indies might also have been given a theoretical lease of life by last night's upset result, but I doubt if they have enough spirit left to make any significant use of it. But one never knows, especially in front of home fans.
Any plans that Ireland might have had of upsetting the Test playing Bangladesh in their own "World Cup Final" would now be dealt a blow. But they'll have a go anyway.  | 
08-04-2007, 06:27 AM
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