da apostebet： The form guide in this World Cup can be hard to read
David Wiseman28-Feb-2003The form guide in this World Cup can be hard to read.After all Kenya beat Sri Lanka who beat New Zealand who beat theWest Indies who beat South Africa who beat Kenya?It appears that there is no method to the madness of predicting the winnersof any game, but there has been some semblance of a recurring theme when itcomes to the day/night games.To date, there have been just five day/night games in the World Cup. Fourtimes the side batting first has won and when Kenya defeated Canada battingsecond, it was a lot closer than Kenya would have liked.There are only two more day/night pool games and both will have a majorinfluence in deciding the final shape of an incredibly tight Pool B.Sri Lanka play West Indies and South Africa in day/night games.Sri Lanka’s record in day/night games is 61 wins, 65 losses, one tie andfive no results. When winning the toss in day/night games, their record is35 wins, 30 losses and five no results.Interestingly enough, they have never lost a World Cup game under lights.Mind you, they only played two; the 1996 World Cup semi-final and final andthat was a much stronger side than the present one.Kingsmead hosts the pivotal South Africa-Sri Lanka game and also is thevenue of a super six day/nighter and a semi-final which is played underlights. What is Kingsmead’s history when it comes to day/nighters?The ground has hosted 20 games overall, of which the side batting first haswon 10, the side batting second nine times and one no result. So nothingmuch there.When it comes to the 13 day/nighters played at Durban, the side battingfirst has won five times to the seven of the side batting second with one noresult.Of those 12 games, the side winning the toss has won nine of them so thetoss is going to play an incredibly decisive factor in the outcome.At Newlands, the venue of the Sri Lanka v West Indies game, there have been18 day/nighters. Of those, the side winning the toss has won 14 of thegames.The side which finished second in Pool B has two day/nighters in their threesuper six matches. That may work in their favour, or against them, dependingon the outcome of the toss.There is no doubt that the ball has been swinging around in the SouthAfrican conditions at night. James Anderson and Ashish Nehra made the mostof the conditions and had the ball talking as they captured 10 wicketsbetween them and both were named men of their matches.Sri Lanka only require to win one of their final two pool games to qualify forthe super sixes. But those two games are against the West Indies today and South Africa on Monday.Ultimately, if the worst comes to the worst, under the rules of the competition it may boil down to the toss of a coin.