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The Zimbabweans watched the closing stages of the Headingley match when they assembled for a team meeting at their hotel in London. Their survival in the tournament depended on an Australian defeat, but half an hour or so was as much as most of them could bring themselves to watch.

Until then the Zimbabwean players and management had to kill the day in London, wondering if they would have to catch a flight home or journey on from Kensington to Manchester to prepare for the first semi-final on Wednesday.

They did not seek out some bar where they could gather together and cheer on South Africa. Most could not bear the tension, certainly not Dave Houghton, the coach. He said: ``It's nerve-racking enough watching our lot play without putting myself through it watching another match. I think we all felt we'd left it to someone else to do the job for us. The whole thing was out of our hands.''

They would have felt sick with disappointment if they had seen the gaffe by Hershelle Gibbs, who dropped that straightforward midwicket catch off Steve Waugh in the act of throwing the ball up in triumph.

Zimbabwe's predicament could have been avoided if they had not had such a heavy Super Sixes defeat at the Oval last Friday. Pakistan were always going to win after their 271, but Zimbabwe should have made more than 123, which depressed their run-rate.

They were not to know it at the time, but if Zimbabwe had made 177 or more in defeat, they would have guaranteed themselves a last four place by finishing with a run-rate above New Zealand's eventual figure.