Bacher moots seeding system for 2003 World Cup

JOHANNESBURG, NOV. 28. South African cricket chief Ali Bacher said on Tuesday that a proposal for a seeding system for the 2003 World Cup would be put to the International Cricket Council.

Under the proposal, the results of all one-day Internationals played by the competing teams from after the 1999 World Cup to the end of 2001 would be collated and teams ranked in terms of their percentage of wins.

Teams finishing in odd-numbered positions in the classification would be placed in one pool and even-numbered teams in the other for the tournament in South Africa.

``We believe that's the fairest way of allocating the different teams into the different sections,'' Bacher, who will direct the 2003 World Cup operation, said. ``We would like general approval from the ICC.''

Bacher is to step down as managing director of the United Cricket Board of South Africa at the end of the year to devote his time fully to the organisation of the 2003 tournament.

The issue is certain to be on the agenda of the world body's executive board meeting in Melbourne in early February. The meeting will also discuss the concept of a 10-year tour programme, which Bacher said was scheduled to start on May 1 next year. The programme, designed by New Zealand cricket chief executive Christopher Doig, envisages each Test-playing nation playing the nine others both home and away in a five-year period, with a Test series consisting of at least two matches.

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Section  : Sport
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