1 Oct 2009

Australia scrape through to Champions trophy semis

6:54 am on 1 October 2009

Australia and Pakistan have completed the semi-finals line-up at the Champions Trophy one day cricket tournament in South Africa.

But it was a near thing for Australia who almost stole defeat from the jaws of victory in their final group match against Pakistan, wiinning a riveting match on the last ball.

The reigning champions had to win to be sure of going through, and although they were chasing only 206 to win, a middle order collapse in which they lost four wickets for only thirteen runs, nearly cost them victory.

Australia won the group by a point from Pakistan, and they'll play England in the first semi-final in Centurion tomorrow night, with New Zealand against Pakistan in the second semi on Saturday night at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.