Canada beats Bermuda in fifth and sixth-place play-off in Belfast by ICC Media Release

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Event:

ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2008

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DateLine: 5th August 2008

 

Canada defeated Bermuda by eight wickets in the fifth and sixth-place play-off in the penultimate match of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier at Stormont in Belfast, Ireland on Tuesday.

 

In overcast conditions, Canada put Bermuda into bat and bowled it out for 70 on the final ball of the 20th over. The North American side faced little problem in achieving victory in 10.3 overs.

 

Geoff Barnett scored 31 not out with five fours and Ashish Bagai scored 15 not out after John Davison had hit a rapid 19 off 13 balls with two fours and a six. However, it was Steven Welsh who walked away with the man-of-the-match award after recording figures of 3-0-6-2.

 

Canada had started impressively in the tournament when it defeated the Netherlands before losing to Kenya. That result put all the three teams in Group B on equal points and Canada was left to play in the fifth and sixth-place play-off after failing to qualify for the semi-final on net run-rate.

 

Bermuda lost all the three matches in the tournament but its best chance came in the rain-curtailed match was against Ireland when it was left to chase a revised target of 46 in eight overs to earn a place in the last four stage. Bermuda lost the match by four runs on Duckworth-Lewis Method as Ireland qualified for the semi-final where it defeated Kenya to reach the final.

 

In the final, Ireland will play the Netherlands and the match will start at 1300 (local time).

 

By virtue of qualifying for the final, both Ireland and the Netherlands have been guaranteed places in the 12-team ICC World Twenty20 2009 to be staged at Lord’s, The Oval and Trent Bridge next year

 

The inclusion of Scotland, which defeated Kenya in the third and fourth-place play-off on Monday, for next year’s event is dependent on Zimbabwe Cricket’s Board ratifying a decision taken by its officials during ICC Annual Conference week, to step back from the tournament.

 

If Zimbabwe confirms it won’t play, the top Associate from the Belfast event will take Zimbabwe ’s place in Group A (with India and Bangladesh ), the losing finalist will ease into Group B (with England and Pakistan ) and the third place side takes a position in Group D (with South Africa and New Zealand ).

 

However, if Zimbabwe opts not to ratify its earlier decision and chooses to play in the tournament, the top Associate will join England and Pakistan in Group B and the losing finalists will form Group D with South Africa and New Zealand.

 

Scores in brief

 

Fifth and sixth-place play-off

 

Canada beat Bermuda by eight wickets

 

Bermuda 70 all out, 20 overs (Oliver Pitcher 15, Stefan Kelly 11; Steven Welsh 2-6, Harvir Baidwan 2-11, Henry Osinde 2-12, John Davison 2-16)

 

Canada 71-2, 10.3 overs (Geoff Barnett 31 not out, John Davison 19, Ashish Bagai 15 not out)

 

 

Full scorecards are available online at:

 

www.iccworldtwenty20qualifier.com

 

For more information go to:

 

www.iccworldtwenty20qualifier.com