Australia, NZ through to World Cup quarters

NEW DELHI: Australia and New Zealand swept aside the opposition at the World Cup on Sunday to secure spots in the quarterfinals.

Australia hadn't played a full game for two weeks and it showed in a 60-run victory over Kenya. Michael Clarke hit 93, Brad Haddin 65 and Mike Hussey, called in as a late injury replacement, hit 54 in Bangalore as the reigning World Cup holder reached 324-6 without breaking into a sweat.

But in the field it was a different story as Australia's pace attack of Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson looked wayward and was punished by Tanmay Mishra, with 72 and Collins Obuya, who finished on 98 not out as Kenya scored 264-6, its highest of the tournament. Brett Lee was his usual accurate self, taking 1-26 from eight overs.

Better batting attacks will surely punish Australia's bowling unless it improves considerably. "There was a bit of rust on the team but you can't expect much more after 16 days without a game," said captain Ricky Ponting.

It was a similar story in Mumbai, where New Zealand's batsmen sprayed Canada's inexperienced bowling around the Wankhede Stadium, where the final will be played on April 2.

New Zealand reached 358-6, with Brendon McCullum scoring 101 and Ross Taylor following his century against Pakistan last Tuesday with an equally brutal 74.

Opener McCullum's well-timed century was his first in 22 World Cup matches, while stand-in skipper Taylor clobbered a bowling attack for the second successive match. James Franklin finished unbeaten on 31 from eight balls.

Canada managed a creditable 261-9 for a 97-run defeat.

Many spectators and players agree the early stages of the cricket World Cup can be tedious, with one-sided games offering little in the way of entertainment.

The 50-over form is struggling to compete with the popularity of Twenty20 cricket and the International Cricket Council will reduce the number of teams taking part in the next World Cup from 14 to 10, shortening the length of the competition and hopefully increasing the entertainment value.

India's captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni felt his players offered a little too much entertainment to the public during Saturday's defeat to South Africa, accusing his batsmen of playing to the gallery.

"In the batting powerplay, it's important that you don't play for the crowd, but for your country," Dhoni said after South Africa's three-wicket victory.

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