England saw their fate sealed on TV (Getty Images).
RAIN SENDS ENGLAND CRASHING OUT
Hussain steps down as one-day skipper
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England were knocked out of the World Cup on Tuesday after Zimbabwe's decisive
match against Pakistan was washed out by rain in Bulawayo.
Nasser Hussain's team were hoping for Pakistan, whom they beat by 112 runs in
Cape Town 10 days ago, to defeat the co-hosts but not too heavily.
That scenario would have resulted in England progressing to the Super Six
stage by virtue of a third place finish in Pool A on net run rate.
However, the weather at the Queens Sports Club allowed just an hour of play
and England's fate was sealed at 2.45pm local time here in Port Elizabeth.
A number of the squad were on the golf course as the news came through that
Zimbabwe had moved onto 14 points, two ahead of England, and into the second
stage along with Australia and India.
Zimbabwe progress mainly thanks to England's boycott of the February 13
fixture in Harare on safety grounds.
The Africans picked up four points as a result while the only sides they
actually beat on the field in the group stage were minnows Holland and Namibia.
The International Cricket Council's technical committee twice turned down the
England and Wales Cricket Board's request for the match to be relocated and an
appeal to the original decision was rejected.
Despite that rousing victory over Pakistan, Hussain's team will head home
following a comprehensive loss to India and a final-over defeat to Australia at
St George's Park on Sunday.
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