The West Indies' 16-run victory over India in the final of a triangular series in Zimbabwe at the weekend has probably clinched their spot at the expense of England in South Africa's pool group for the Cricket World Cup to be played in South Africa in February/March 2003.

The current success of the West Indies team, that now goes on to play a series of one-day internationals in Kenya, has in all probability put paid to the projected South Africa-England opening match in Cape Town on February 6, 2003.

West Indies' triumph over India in Harare - following two successive defeats at the hands of the Indians - elevates them to seventh place in the international one-day rankings with a percentage win rate of 38.18.

England's gradual decline leaves them in eighth place on 37.93% and places them at the moment in a pool headed by Australia (78.43% wins) and including Pakistan, India and Zimbabwe.

The other pool is headed by South Africa (65.45%) and includes Sri Lanka, New Zealand, West Indies, Bangladesh and Kenya.

The pool groupings are based on a system that measures the results of all one-day internationals since the end of the last World Cup in England in June 1999 until the cutoff date in September 2001. A tennis-type seedings system for the 2003 Cricket World Cup - decided on by the executive board of the International Cricket Council - is based on this results table.

According to Dr Ali Bacher, executive director of 2003 CWC, it is unlikely that there will be any notable changes to the current projected pools by the end of September. He said that South Africa's opponents in the opening match would be decided after a 2003 CWC policy committee meeting on August 17.

The latest limited overs international table, effective July 9, 2001, is:

1 Australia (78.43% wins)

2 South Africa (65.45)

3 Sri Lanka (61.54)

4 Pakistan (56.92)

5 India (49.21)

6 New Zealand (40.00)

7 West Indies (38.18)

8 England (37.93)

9 Zimbabwe (27.42)

10 Bangladesh and Kenya (0.00)

© 2003 CWC