Brits fall just short

Richardson: Leading Brit

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World Cup final
Saturday July 18
Live on Sky Sports 2

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Australia and Sweden qualified for Saturday's World Cup final after a thrilling race-off in Poland saw Great Britain come within a whisker of a pulling off a shock.

Australia were dominant from the start, winning six of the first seven heats, and their qualification to join Russia and Poland in Saturday's final never looked in doubt from then on.

The real battle was for second place though, and Great Britain looked like pulling off an upset as they lead Sweden from the ninth leg right the way through until heat 23.

An inspired joker ride from Andreas Jonsson gave him a double-points victory to put the Swedes a point ahead, which they stretched to two in the penultimate race.

It all came down to the finale with Great Britain skipper Chris Adams going up against Antonio Lindback, but the Swede came out on top as he finished behind heat winner Leigh Adams.

Well clear

Australia ended the night clear on 51 points, while Sweden took the second qualifying spot with 39 points, while Great Britain fell four points short on 35 and injury-hit World Cup holders Denmark struggled in last.

The Aussies were dominant, taking 11 wins from 23 heats on the night, but Great Britain looked good behind them as Lee Richardson produced some inspired riding early on.

Richardson won his first three races, the final one worth double as the joker, and also bagged two second places as he led the way for the Brits.

Skipper Harris won GB's only other heat victory, but they were doing enough to stay ahead of the Swedes, until a late burst turned the score on its head.

Lindback won a controversial heat 22, which was re-run after a mix-up over gate positions, but he held his nerve to go out and win it again in fine style.

Joker Jonsson

Jonsson then made the most of the joker in the next and all of a sudden Sweden had clawed a point in front, and Lindgren's second place in the next made it two.

Harris needed a win and hope Lindback finished lower than second to have a chance, but he lost his position going for glory and eventually came last - leaving the Swedes to go through after a thrilling battle.

"I think if we were offered that performance before we started we would have taken it, we were the underdogs and it's a great occasion but we managed to cope with that and ride really well," Richardson told Sky Sports.

"No-one's let the side down and it's good for the future, so we should be a nation to contend with if we can build on what we've done tonight."

Australia and Sweden now move on to the final, also staged in Leszno, to face Russia and hosts Poland on Saturday, live on Sky Sports 2.