Gomes thinks US can win plate

While the Young Black Caps meet Ireland at the R Premadasa Stadium, the Proteas will clash with Scotland at the Nonde-scripts Cricket Club.

Both teams missed out on a berth in the quarter-final round after they finished third in Group "A" and Group "B" respectively.

West Indies had scored a 130-run in a warm-up match over New Zealand in the build up to the tournament before inflicting a seven-wicket win over South Africa in their final preliminary match that catapulted them into the quarter-final round.

New Zealand coach, Dipak Patel said he was trying to motivate his team for the upcoming match.

"I hope we can refocus," Patel said. "The players are here to learn about playing in these conditions and we will be getting their heads together for the next challenge."

South Africa, whose only win in the preliminaries came against the United States, won the Plate Championship in the 2000 competition and will be hoping for a similar result.

The United States, coached by former Trini-dad and Tobago and West Indies batsman, Larry Gomes, will face Namibia at the Sinhalese Sports Club and are also hoping for a positive result.

"I am encouraged by what I have seen and I think we should do well," Gomes said. "We can take heart from our performances."

"We were in a tough group but we have competed reasonably well and we should have slightly easier matches in the Plate but we do have to refocus now."

In the other match today, Nepal will clash with Uganda at the P Saravanamuttu Stadium.