Steve Waugh keeps the faith

Australia captain Steve Waugh said on Sunday there was no need for panic after his team failed to make the final of their annual triangular one-day tournament for only the third time in 23 years.

Australia beat South Africa by 33 runs in Sunday's final pool match, only to miss out on a place in the finals because of a quirk in the rules.

Australia, South Africa and New Zealand all finished the round-robin phase with four wins and four losses. South Africa ended up on top with 18 points after collecting two bonus points with Australia and New Zealand tied for second with 17 points.

Although Australia had the best run-rate of any team in the competition, New Zealand advanced to the finals because of their superior head-to-head record against Australia.

Waugh said Australian fans should not be too critical of his team for missing out on the finals.

"South Africa are probably entitled to be joint favourites (with Australia) for the next World Cup and we beat them three times out of four pretty convincingly," Waugh said.

"You have to keep on looking at the big picture and we played pretty well today."

Waugh said he hoped the selectors would not make any rash decisions because of Australia's failure to reach the finals of what was an extraordinarily tight series between possibly the three best one-day teams in the world.

"You lose a couple of games and everybody wants to be an expert, everyone wants to change the team. You have got to have faith in your players," Waugh said.

GREAT FAITH

"I have got a lot of faith in those guys (Australia), I think they have done well over a long period in time."

New Zealand were heavily criticised for deliberately allowing South Africa to get a bonus point in their clash on Friday night to hinder Australia's chances of making the finals.

Australia needed to beat South Africa and gain a bonus point on Sunday to pip New Zealand for the second spot.

They gave themselves a good chance of claiming the bonus when they amassed 283 for seven from their 50 overs -- the highest score by any team during the tournament -- but failed to restrict the Proteas to 226 or less, the cut-off margin for the bonus.

South African finished with 250 for five in their 50 overs after an unbeaten 104 by man-of-the-match Jacques Kallis.

Waugh joined New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming in calling for a review of the tournament's bonus point system.

"At the start of the series, it seemed like a very good idea," Waugh said.

"But, at the end of the series, you have got to see how it affected the games and whether that is good for cricket.

"I think they need to have a good look at it."

Mail Cricket Editor