Unfinished business for up-and-down Canada

Canada's amateurs have already experienced a roller-coaster World Cup ride but they still have unfinished business to complete before they exit cricket's showpiece event on March 3.

Canada's amateurs have already experienced a roller-coaster World Cup ride but they still have unfinished business to complete before they exit cricket's showpiece event on March 3.

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The North Americans produced the first major upset of the tournament with a 60-run win over test nation Bangladesh in their cup opener before being skittled by Sri Lanka for 36 -- the lowest total in one-day international history.

They now face the might of twice champions West Indies on Sunday, pre-tournament second favourites South Africa and in-form New Zealand in their final three Group B games.

Hardly a soft run-in for Canada, who will need to be in damage-limitation mode, but captain Joseph Harris has a clear strategy in mind.

"Our job is not yet done at this tournament," said the former Barbados off spinner. "We still have goals and objectives at this World Cup and our intention is to meet them.

"Against the big teams we meet in our last three games, we aim to be competitive, to put up good targets and defend them well.

"But we have to be realistic. We're not professional cricketers and we're coming in from five months of winter in Canada."

FIRST CUP

Canada played their first World Cup in 1979 but lost all three games, including being bowled out for a paltry 45 by England at Manchester.

They had to wait until this year for their second appearance at the tournament, qualifying with a third-place finish at the 2001 ICC Trophy.

Although the Canadians had not played cricket for five months as they emerged from a harsh and biting North American winter, they set the World Cup alight with their shock win over Bangladesh in Durban.

Dreadlocked plumber Austin Codrington took five for 27 as the Asian test side, chasing Canada's modest 180 all out, were dismissed for 120 in 28 overs.

"That victory was fantastic for us," said Ian Billcliff, who top-scored for Canada with 42 and 71 in their first two games. "We only scored 180 but we bowled and fielded really well.

"Bangladesh and Kenya are the two teams more at our level in this tournament so obviously there was a big focus on the Bangladesh game.

"Having a good result there was excellent and it's been great for the Canadian set-up back at home.

RAISING AWARENESS

"It all helps to raise the awareness of Canadian cricket, which is important because it's a bit of a struggle for us with baseball being the main summer sport."

Canada's fast start to the tournament was soon put into perspective, though, as they lost their second match to Kenya in Cape Town last Saturday before their humiliation at the hands of Sri Lanka in Paarl.

Despite Billcliff's patient 71, the Canadians could only muster 198 against Kenya and were eventually beaten by four wickets with nine balls to spare.

At Paarl, they collapsed to 36 all out in 18.4 overs before Sri Lanka eased home in just 4.4 overs, completing the second fastest run-chase ever in limited-overs internationals.

"When we came here to this tournament, we knew that the test nations would be a tough ask but we didn't expect to fold up like this," a grim-faced Harris said.

But Canada still have three games to play -- starting with West Indies at Centurion on Sunday -- and, for their captain, that means unfinished business.

"We just have to look at the last three matches as a challenge and do as well as we can," he said. "We can't be overawed by reputations and we have to do ourselves proud."