WELLINGTON — Cricketing minnows the United Arab Emirates and Scotland secured berths at the 2015 World Cup Thursday after taking the top two spots at a qualification tournament in New Zealand. Both teams finished the round robin phase of the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup Qualifier on eight points after posting four wins and one loss, with the UAE's superior run rate giving it the edge over Scotland. The results mean they will play in next year's World Cup alongside superpowers of the game such as India and Australia. Scotland has featured in the World Cup twice before, in 1999 and 2007, while the UAE appeared in the tournament's 1996 edition. The Scots qualified after beating Kenya by three wickets in their final match with just three balls to spare, while the UAE downed Namibia by 36 runs. Hong Kong entered the final day of the round robin with hopes of earning a debut World Cup appearance but results did not go its way, even though it posted a three-wicket win over Papua New Guinea. The UAE and Scotland will contest the final of the qualification tournament in Lincoln Saturday to determine which pool they will play in at the World Cup. The winner of the contest will join England, Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, New Zealand and Afghanistan in Group A, while the loser will be clubbed in Group B along with South Africa, India, Pakistan, West Indies, Zimbabwe and Ireland. A total of 14 teams will contest the World Cup, to be hosted by Australia and New Zealand, comprising the ICC's 10 full member nations and four affiliate countries. Ireland and Afghanistan secured two of the affiliate spots last year. Hodge earns T20 recall Veteran batsman Brad Hodge was Thursday recalled to Australia's Twenty20 squad, boosting his chances of playing in the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh in March-April. The 39-year-old, who has been in outstanding form for the Melbourne Stars in the domestic Big Bash League, was called up to replace all-rounder Moises Henriques, who is heading to South Africa to join up with the Test team, Cricket Australia said. Australian fast bowler Jackson Bird was also declared fit and will fly out to join the rest of the squad in South Africa after being cleared of a back injury. McLaren or Parnell to fill Kallis void All-rounders Ryan McLaren and Wayne Parnell have been named in South Africa's 15-man squad for the three-match Test series against Australia starting on Feb. 12. One of them is likely to fill the void left by the retirement of Jacques Kallis, who quit the five-day game ahead of the Boxing Day victory over India in Durban last month. The other may take the place of leg-spinner Imran Tahir, who has been dropped from the squad, leaving Robin Peterson as the only front-line spinner, with JP Duminy available as a sixth bowler. Squad: Graeme Smith (captain), Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Rory Kleinveldt, Ryan McLaren, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Alviro Petersen, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Thami Tsolekile. — Agencies
