Let me begin by saying that I believe that the best equipped six cricketing nations in the World Cup qualified for the second round. I also think that they have special individual qualities, some of which I will address here. For those who have been eliminated, there are also glaring reasons why they just could not cut it. More on that later.

Oh, before I go on, let me reiterate two things I had said before a ball was bowled in this competition. Indeed, I am proud that I had actually forecast them.

Firstly, I had mentioned that there were going to be at least two, probably three, upsets in the preliminary tournament. There were three. Unfavoured Zimbabwe beat both more favoured India and favourites South Africa. Bangladesh pulled an absolute stunner on Pakistan. Luckily for me, I was doing commentary for radio and television on India/Zimbabwe and Pakistan/Bangladesh. Both were excellent games, but the last game of the qualifying rounds, Pakistan/Bangladesh, was the best game of the tournament so far. Read on.

Secondly, my predictions may yet come through that Pakistan, South Africa, India and New Zealand might meet in the semi-finals, even though Zimbabwe seem to be trying to make a great run for it. Whatever happens, I had also forecast a Pakistan/South Africa final. That still looks on the cards. I am smiling now. I wish that I had bet something on it. I would be smiling all the way, to and from, the bank.

INDIA:

This is probably the best mixture of youth, experience and cool-headedness. Mohammed Azharuddin has nearly as many one day international appearances to his credit as a year has days. How one survives that long with the travels, the travails, the tribulations and the pressure on and off the field, especially when one is captain of a cricket team representing one of the largest populations and cricket-mad democracies in the world, is amazing. I wonder how those people, supposed fans, who ``booed'' him so lustily at Leicester, when India lost to Zimbabwe, now feel. Azhar does not deserve that, not after his superb efforts, production and tremendous longevity. His team has bounced back well.

India does have in its team, though, probably the most talented trio of batsmen in the world today. Saurav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid have stamped their class on this competition as none other. Ganguly has the added advantage of being something of a budding genuine all-rounder. One must give his captain special praise for having the courage to use him so much in the preliminary games as a bowler. Sachin Tendulkar is that third batsman, but not in that order. He is better than the other two, if only by temperament, and perhaps class too. Very few people would have withstood his recent bereavement and responsibilities so well. ``When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.'' Sachin is also due for another ``big one.''

The supporting crew in India's games is also a splendid one. Fast bowlers Srinath, Mohanty and Prasad have become progressively better and more organized with the white ball as the competition proceeded. Robin Singh, whose batting has failed, is, however, useful with the ball, as is Ajay Jadeja. Jadeja is now, strangely for one so young, an ``elder statesman'', a cool headed batsman, to counteract the hot blood of Ganguly and Dravid.

Wicket-keeper Naim Mongia and Anil Kumble have been brilliant in their own way. Kumble is probably the hardest spin bowler to get off the playing square by the batsmen. Ajit Agarkar and Sandopan Ramesh promise much more than they have delivered. Please remember that the competition is not yet over. India are gelling well and will fight to the death. One thing is very obvious. They are enjoying their cricket. They probably smile more than any other team in the competition.

PAKISTAN:

If Pakistan's cricketers all play to their full potential, there is no cricket team in the world who could even come close to them. No other team has such brilliant natural talent.

There is no better bowler of the white ball than Pakistan's captain, Wasim Akram. His captaincy has also captured even the critics as he knows, better than anyone else, how mercurial and enigmatic his players could be. I would even nominate Wasim as the best overall player in the 1999 Cricket World Cup. My reasoning is simple. If we speak about all-rounders, he must be mentioned in the first three. If we speak about bowlers alone, he must be mentioned in the first three. If we speak of batsmen alone, he will be mentioned in the first ten. If we speak of captains, he must be mentioned in the first three. Therefore, Wasim is the best player overall in the tournament. No-one else has nearly as many of those credentials.

Shoaib Akhtar is fast, furious and scary. If he really listens and learns from Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram, he will be the fastest, and probably the best in the world for some time to come. He and his team are ably supported by two of the best all-rounders in the tournament, the hitherfore unheralded Azhar Mahmood and Abdul Razzaq. These two will become world beaters in time. Their poise as batsmen only is probably more balanced than many outright batsmen. Shahid Afridi, like Robin Singh of India, has not come on here as expected. He is still a great talent and is scheduled to come good for the Super Six games with his explosive hitting. That could also be said for Yousuf Youhanna, who has had only one good innings so far, Salim Malik, Ijaz Ahmed and even Saeed Anwar, perhaps the best opening batsmen in the world.

Moin Khan and Inzimam-ul-Haq are just peaking, even if Inzy does have this great propensity to undermine his team's efforts with run outs. Moin is probably the world's best cheer-leading wicket-keeper, if not the world's best wicket-keeper, period. What a boost he is to his team.

Mushtaq Ahmed has not yet had a part to play with his leg-spinners, but his spinning partner, Saqlain Mushtaq is probably the most mesmerising player in the World Cup. Few of the batsmen know how to handle him, as he is not altogether an off-spinner, nor is he a leg break bowler. He is simply confusing, but excellent.

The one admirable fact about Pakistan is that they could almost always put out a team which is settled and confident. Despite losing that game to Bangladesh, they must be a great bet now to win the entire thing.

That game against Bangladesh needs special mention.

I think that Pakistan started the game against Bangladesh expecting to roll them over for maybe 100 or so. However, the Banglas surprised them and us. They came out extremely positive.

Perhaps the sacking of Gordon Greenidge the day previously had something to do with it, as their team meeting before that fantastic game was the only one for the entire World Cup in which they could all understand each other, since it was conducted in their own language, Bangla, as opposed to English, which few of them could speak well and understand anyway; GG's Hampshire/Barbadian accent does not help here.

Before you knew it, they had already bolted from Pakistan. By the time the Banglas actually got to 223, it was over bar the shouting. Pakistan tried to close the door, but the Banglas were already off and running. I think that the Pakistanis started panicking when they batted, as there were three run-outs, and some near misses. This was no ploy nor sell out. When Wasim Akram ran past Azhar Mahmood, both heading in the same direction as the Bangladeshi captain, Aminul Islam, brought off a splendid piece of fielding, the resulting run out of Azhar was actually accompanied by Wasim cursing loudly and fluently in Urdu and actually throwing his bat to the ground in disgust. That was not planned, I promise you.

I am convinced that the Pakistanis were beaten by complacency, complacency which they eventually tried to harness one third of the way into the game, but much too late for the piece. As Wasim suggested, perhaps it is good that they had their worst day in the first round.

The one overwhelming but enduring thought that will remain with me about that Pakistan/Bangladesh game was the absolutely wonderful behaviour of the supporting crowds. The Banglas and Pakistanis partied, supported and celebrated together. Both national flags were paraded around the Northampton ground with great panache, pride and pleasure. It was a very wonderful display of friendship and camaraderie. If only the rest of the world could be so wonderful.

NEW ZEALAND:

The Kiwis are the minor surprise of the tournament. Unlike those fancied teams with their express fast bowlers and belligerent batsmen, the New Zealanders have, as Clint Eastwood would say, ``known their limitations'' and played within them.

Steven Fleming is one of the most approachable captains in the competition. He knows his job and does it well. The respect that his team has for him is blatantly obvious. Indeed, he and South Africa's Hanse Cronje are the only captains who seem to really be free of any pressure, real or imagined. Flemming's batting has been confident but less than really spectacular. He will have to shape up in the Super Sixes.

New Zealand's batting is centred around a good, competent middle order of Craig McMillan, Flemming, Roger Twose and Chris Cairns. Between, them, they have seen off the likes of Glen McGrath, Shoaib Akhtar, Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh. Matthew Horne and Nathan Astle have not really done the job for them. Strange as it may seem, I think that both, especially Astle, are too short to be openers. They just do not seem to be able to conquer the bouncing white ball. Astle, though, like India's Ganguly, could develop into being a good medium paced all-rounder. Adam Parore has added very valuable runs in the late order to go with his wicket-keeping skills. He is very useful indeed.

In beating Australia, they may have won the Battle of the Antipodes. When the Aussies used the rules to their advantage and tried to get the West Indies to qualify instead of New Zealand, the Australians may have even raised the gills and fangs of their long-time enemies. There is no love lost between New Zealand and Australia. If they meet in the semi-finals, expect fireworks.

New Zealand's greatest asset, though, is their bowling. They base their attack on the slowness of it, if you will, as opposed to the tear-away fast bowling from Pakistan. Dion Nash, Chris Cairns, Gavin Larsen and Chris Harris have all contributed well so far in the bowling stakes. It has even been suggested that the opposing batsmen have to have great patience to cope with these bowlers, as they are so slow, especially Larsen and Harris. The deliveries often seem to just hang there, yo-yo like, tempting the batsmen.

The best bowler for New Zealand has easily been Geoff Allott. Please note that like England's Alan Mullally and Pakistan's Wasim Akram, Allott is also a left-handed bowler. That is very important in this World Cup. Allott has recovered well from leg injuries and is much stronger these days. His deliveries actually hit the pitch with tremendous force, thus confirming his strength. To date, he has the most wickets in the tournament and that is not by chance. He swings the ball rather late with good, if not great pace. He also has learned to bowl to a good length and line these days and is reaping the benefits of being disciplined.

Indeed, New Zealand are at least four things in one. They are disciplined, efficient, know their limitations and patient. Those got them past Australia, Bangladesh and Scotland. Some of the latent talent could come through to get them to the semi-finals. Do not be surprised if they do get there.

SOUTH AFRICA:

If anyone could ``make'' a cricket team, then that team would be South Africa. They are highly professional, almost mechanical, but truly the height of efficiency. Microsoft has nothing on them.

Hanse Cronje must be one of the more committed captains in the competition. Having experienced his brand of captaincy and fire during the entire West Indies cricket team tour to South Africa in 1998-99, I can tell you that there is no captain playing today who expects as much from his players and hates losing more. Focussed Hanse Cronje is.

South Africa probably competes with Pakistan as to which team has the more balance, interchangeability, versatility and natural talent. They may not be as exciting as Pakistan on the field, but they are extremely efficient and well coached.

Reading South Africa's team is like a ``Who's Who'' of charisma, class, effort and achievement. South Africa's opening batsmen Gary Kirsten and Herschell Gibbs remind us of the ``The Tales of the Ancient Mariner''. One is so experienced, Kirsten, having endured so many fast bowlers around the world, while Gibbs is the effervescent productive pup. His fielding is phenomenal and if there is one South African who really enjoys being on the world's stage, it is Herschell.

South Africa's middle order batting is really something to behold. Many a coach would give his arm to have any two of Jaques Kallis, Darryll Cullinan, Hanse Cronje, Jonty Rhodes, Shaun Pollock Mark Boucher and Lance Klusener. South Africa is the only cricket team in the world which has a middle order that runs from No. 3 to No. 10. This is an incredible line up, and the team and their supporters know it. If they all ever fire well in one of the Super Sixes games, South Africa will probably make in excess of 400 runs.

The bowling is not too shabby neither. Alan Donald, the old crafty devil, and still as quick as ``White Lightning'', actually bowls in the no. 3 or No. 4 position. Imagine that!! Shaun Pollock, and Jaques Kallis, two truly tremendously gifted and blistering all-rounders, actually open the bowling before Steve Elworthy and Donald come in to operate.

Yet, in all of this, Lance Klusener is the player so far in the competition for South Africa. He is probably the best all-rounder in the tournament; his only real opponents for the spot being his own team-mates Kallis and Pollock and Pakistan's Wasim Akram. As the Super Sixes begin, Klusener has not been dismissed yet in the tournament. He has already made 164 runs from 4 innings, batting at No. 9 or No. 10. His aggression both as a batsman and especially a bowler has also realised 13 wickets. Yet he is never satisfied.

Indeed, that must be South Africa's Viagra. They are never satisfied, even if they are perfect sometimes, especially with their stupendous fielding, not to mention superlative bowling and batting. They were not perfect when they played Zimbabwe and lost badly. Knowing Hanse Cronje as I do, I doubt that they would ever forgive Zimbabwe for embarrassing them that way. Expect the ``Mother of all Backlashes'' from South Africa when the Super Sixes begin.

ZIMBABWE:

This team created great surprises when they not only beat India, but shocked African neighbours South Africa too. Beating both India and South Africa confirmed that Zimbabwe have come of age after their recent Test triumphs. While the game against India could have been called a fluke, no such thing existed in the comprehensive beating Zimbabwe gave to South Africa. They beat the South Africans at their own game, so to speak. Upsets can happen

It is sometimes difficult to pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses of Zimbabwe. Perhaps the hardest thing for this team is really knowing how to put in the final kick once the opponent is down. On its day, the batting could carve the best attacks in the world. When it is not their day, they could look very ordinary. Ditto for the bowling team.

Henry Olonga is like Rasputin, the Mad Monk. He could be erratic at one moment, then absolutely brilliant the next. Those three wickets he took in that last over against India probably put him team into the Super Sixes, as his efforts gave his team a great boost. Heath Streak, Eddo Brandes, Mpumelelo Mbangwa, Guy Whittall, Adam Huckle, Murray Goodwin and especially Neil Johnson combine to make a very efficient and effective bowling team. This bowling team is normally backed up with great fielding. Indeed, this team is one of the better fielding teams in the entire competition.

Neil Johnson again features highly as a batsman, opening the innings and being completely at ease and consistently good. I would wager that he would be an asset in any team anywhere in the world. His associated batsmen have managed to give captain Alistair Campbell some great smiles in this tournament. Campbell himself needs runs, but he cannot be too displeased with the efforts of Andy and Grant Flower, Murray Goodwin again and Guy Whittall.

Zimbabwe could again cause tremendous headaches for the supposedly better teams in the Super Sixes. Already, they carry through 4 points, so they could be qualifiers for the semi-finals if they can manage to beat only one team in this stage. What a fairy tale that would be if they even managed to be in the final. Effort and diligence do pay off.

AUSTRALIA:

The Australians pride themselves on grit and determination. There may be other adjectives to describe them too. Tenacious and efficient are another few. The way they dismembered the West Indies at Old Trafford would not soon be forgotten.

The Australians are starting the Super Sixes at a tremendous disadvantage. They lost badly to New Zealand and then competed well in that crescendo of a game against Pakistan that produced 540 runs in 100 overs. So much for the dominance of the white ball. This means that Australia take no points into the Super Six round. Even if they win all of their three games in this round, there is no guarantee that the Australians would qualify for the semi-finals. You could bet your bottom dollar, though, that the Australians will go down to the wire with 100% effort.

Steve Waugh is still a very astute, wise old bird. He may not now be making the kind of runs he has become used to, but his team has rallied around him somewhat, after the initial loss of Mark Taylor. His interpretation of the rules in the game against the West Indies might have upset a few people, but Australia play cricket like Malcolm X lived life; ``By any means necessary'' and in this case, also legal.

Glen McGrath has carried the Australian bowling superbly and his spell against the West Indies, when he changed his normally shortish length to a full length, tells many tales; 8.3-3-14-5. It was a brilliant spell of highly controlled fast bowling. McGrath could now be getting his second wind after the long year he has had. Beware now!!

Shane Warne has also warmed to his task. He is infinitely more cunning now that his ``flipper'' is beginning to take root again. He too bowled well against the West Indies. Like McGrath, Shane knows exactly when to turn it on. This boy is a winner.

Damien Flemming, Paul Reiffel, Shane Lee, Brendon Julian, Tom Moody Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn present a good mix of bowling styles and effectiveness. Never would Australia again run the risk, as they did against Pakistan, of being left a bowler short.

Their batting is their strength. Added to Waugh S, there is Mark Waugh, classical but blowing hot and cold. As the temperature warms up, expect him to follow suit. Ricky Ponting reminds me of race horses at the post. He always seems ready and raring to go. If he gets firing in these latter stages, slow motion pictures will have to be used to keep a proper eye on him. Darren Lehmann and Adam Gilchrist have both been good, but could be much better. Confidence plays a great part for Australia and that West Indies win would have been a great fillip. Michael Bevan has not really been his normal watch-winning self yet. This lad does not take to being in the shadows too long. Watch out for his re-emergence.

The Aussies are strong mentally and tough physically. They are not going to go anywhere in a whimper. Expect a furnace like blast when they get fired up.

Finally, I still think that South Africa, Pakistan, India and New Zealand will make the semis, but do not hold me to it. After all, look at what Zimbabwe, New Zealand and Bangladesh achieved in the preliminary rounds. In one day cricket, anything is possible. Enjoy

Colin E. Croft